Return of the Forgotten
by Taki-di
Summary: He was forgotten. It was as if he'd never existed. But despite the will of the Godesses, it would seem theres still a trace of hope left for him to escape this pain and to be remembered. ZeLink eventually. AU, post OoT.
1. A Different Beginning

**Whee, first multi-chapter story! xD Of course its ZeLink. I can't write any other pairing for LoZ. It just doesn't work. I'm also gonna dig around my folders and find a suitable Final Fantasy fanfic to post eventually...**

**Seeing as how this story has a good start, I think I'll post it and try and keep it going. Reviews or ideas are always appreciated.**

**Warnings: Nothing really for this chapter, but in the future, cussing more than likely and suggestive themes. The usual.**

**Disclaimer: Sadly, I do not own Legend of Zelda or any of its characters...*sniffle***

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The bright blue sky was cloudless and the sun shone with a bright intensity that seemed so foreign to the boy after dwelling in the darkened tattered wastelands created by evil for so long. He felt a bubbly sense of joy spreading through him at the sounds of carefree birdsong. The barren landscape was once more the beautiful rich and enticing lush fields. The earthy grassy scents of the lands mixed with those of numerous flowers, all sweet and enticing and reminding him of one person.

The one who'd done everything she could to help her nation.

The one he had unwittingly come to care about more than himself.

The Princess Zelda.

It was oddly nostalgic to walk into the courtyard surrounded by the beauty of the garden that resided there. It felt like an eternity since he'd last set foot here.

But the doubts were racing through his mind, anxiety making his hands tremble slightly. What if...she'd forgotten? Could she have? He remembered everything. Every gruelling moment with sickening clarity. The blood, the pain, the loss...He'd lost everything to save Hyrule. He'd felt so empty half the time on the endless quest to restore the Goddess created land to its former glory. He'd had everything torn away from him. His friends, his home, his innocence as a child. And here he was again. A child. But not on the inside anymore. On the inside, he was a mess, a jumble, an unsolvable puzzle with pieces that didn't belong in the same box. Saying it like this made him out to seem like a person who'd lost all hope and happiness. He was far from that, but still...

If he remembered, did she?

The present had changed from what he'd once known it as. He wasn't quite sure how, but he knew without a doubt, it was different. It was almost like an alternate world, but it also lacked the ominous stifling presence of a great evil. He wished he knew what path he'd be taking this time in life, after his first had been shattered.

At one point, his entrance to the garden would have been obvious, but he was blessed now with stealth that was once unknown to him and now came unbidden. He stood in the shadow of the archway for a moment, staring at Zelda as she looked out her window.

Even now, her beauty as a child astounded him.

He closed his eyes, gathering his courage to face her, hoping beyond hope that she remembered. As long as Zelda remembered him, he'd be fine...everything would be all right....

Slowly, he stepped forward, dropping his stealth and letting his boots cause muffled sounds as they landed on the ground as he approached the beautiful blonde child.

Zelda let out a tiny gasp, detecting the noise and turned around.

That was it.

There was no look of recognition in those beautiful deep sapphire eyes that were reminiscent of the sun glittering on the pristine waters of Lake Hylia. There was no happiness brimming in them as he had once seen when she had revealed herself to him in the Temple of Time. There was nothing but genuine childish curiosity.

And in that moment, his heart shattered, and it struck him at full force.

He was alone. If she didn't remember, surely no one else did. He knew now what that foreign feeling of difference was. It was the fact he no longer belonged it seemed. That he had been forgotten.

"Who are you?" She asked, blinking in surprise at the green clad boy before her. "How did you bypass the guards? Wait, no, that's a silly question...those guards are always slacking off."

A sad pained smile tugged at his lips as he looked at her, repressing the stinging welling up in his eyes. At least she seemed to still have her light humor. Her good nature. Perhaps...it is better off this way. Let one person suffer so that others may remain in bliss. Had he really expected to be free of his pain? Perhaps it was better if she really had forgotten him. Maybe she'd be better off....without him.

"You..." She said quietly, frown now marring her lovely face, compassion seeping into her glittering blue eyes. "You do not carry yourself like a child. You have seen great sadness...Why do you look so...." Her last word faltered, her own voice straining with emotion. This blonde boy before her...she had never seen him before, but something seemed so wrong...so terribly wrong...to see him look so...so..."broken..."

He just shook his head, closing his eyes and one lone tear escaped to trickle down his cheek.

He felt like his throat was closing up and his mouth was dry. His entire world was crumbling. For the first time in perhaps forever...he was breaking.

"Goodbye....Princess..." He managed to choke out, turning from her and leaving swiftly like a wraith as she tore down the steps from her window after him, calling out for him to stop. But it was too late.

He was gone.


	2. Seven Years After

**Here we are, part 2! =D Hopefully I can make later chapters longer, but, for now...**

**Also, disclaimer: I do not own Legend of Zelda or any of its characters...nor do I own Prince Marth or Fire Emblem. No, this is not a crossover, but my creativity failed me and I decided to pick on Marth.**

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Zelda's mind wandered back to the day she'd seen that boy. The blonde haired little boy that carried himself like a warrior burdened by the weight of the world and whose eyes reflected pain and loneliness. The boy who'd looked so broken.

She had been ten years old then. That was seven years ago.

Now, she was the sole ruler of Hyrule, unable to take the title of queen until she married. She was even engaged, but had no intention of actually marrying Prince Marth Lowell of Altea. No, she had other plans for him, but that was of no prominence in her mind right now.

She sat in another portion of her garden now on a stone bench, her head resting on her fiance's shoulder. This part of the garden was right up against the castle walls, and a great oak tree was just to the side of the bench, shading the couple from the afternoon sun.

Often Zelda's mind had been drawn back to the boy that had appeared to her in dreams. But he was never the same. In her dreams, he was just a child set out on a quest who was witnessing death and destruction for the first time. Other times, she had dreams of an older blonde youth who was travelling across Hyrule, fulfilling a destiny that he did not want. She knew they were all one in the same.

But where had these dreams that felt far too real come from?

She sighed lightly, wishing she knew just why she could think of nothing else but the blonde enigma she had seen but once that had haunted her for the past week.

"It is true then."

Zelda sat up with jolt, eyes snapping open wide. There before her and her fiance was a black cloaked figure, completely shrouded by the dark cloak.

"How did you-" Zelda began, startled, but was interupted as Marth jumped up, brandishing his blade at the newcomer.

"Who are you!?" He demanded. "Do you wish for death so greatly that you dare break into our castle?"

Zelda made a face when Marth said 'our' but quickly returned her mind to the matter at hand. That voice...that rich voice was so familiar...so hauntingly familiar it sent a shiver down her spine. Her eyes were transfixed on the cloaked being before her and she listened intently.

"'Our castle?'" The stranger asked, voice monotonous but laced with cold venom. "Where do you come off addressing this fortress as yours? You have no right nor ownership to a single thing within Hylian land, Prince, and I would not forget my place if I were you."

Zelda blinked in surprise, but felt a pang of satisfaction at someone else reprimanding Marth for his assumption of property.

"And who are you to remind me of my place? You are nought but lowly peasant scum-," Zelda's face hardened at this as Marth continued,"and I should smite you where you stand for your insolence!"

"Try me, you pampered ingrate," the cloaked figure ground out, disgust evident in his tone.

Without a second thought, Marth leaped at the figure. A mistake on his part. The stranger sidestepped deftly and struck hard with his knee into Marth's gut, causing the Prince to double over in pain and his sword to clatter to the ground as his hands slipped from the blade. The stranger turned to Zelda now, and bowed humbly.

"Your Highness," The voice was calm now with an achingly familiar undertone of sadness that Zelda couldn't quite place. "It is a great honor to be in your presence."

Something about him adressing her so formally just didn't seem right...He stood swiftly and slowly approached her and took the seat her fiance previously occupied, who was still curled on the ground and was receiving no attention from either Zelda or the cloaked man. Zelda was slightly apprehensive realizing that she was defenseless against whoever this was, and if they wished her harm, they could easily hurt her.

"Please, forgive me should I forget myself," the man said quietly. "But, if it is true that you are marrying," pause here,"then it is time that you know the truth."

"What?" Zelda questioned on impulse, eyes narrowing slightly. The truth?

"Please, tell me...what is it that you know of the current location of the triforce?"

Zelda would normally stiffen and coldly order the person away should they mention the sacred relic of Hyrule and pry for information from her. But this person...there was an air of strength and honesty about him, and she already felt respect swelling in her for this man despite her slight hesitation.

"Why?" She asked after a moment, frowning slightly. She must tread carefully...

"I need to know the current extent of your knowledge of the Triforce's resting place, though I doubt it has changed," He replied. And something clicked.

"This truth you speak of? It pertains to the Goddess' relic!?" She questioned, eyes wide and unhappy. What did this man mean?

"...Yes," He replied after a moment, almost too quiet to hear, turning his cloaked head away.

Now Zelda was confused. A little voice in her head was screaming for her to send this man away. But a more overbearing voice was pleading with her to listen to him. To trust him. That she always could before, and she still could now- wait, what? 'Always could before?'

Zelda frowned and closed her eyes, shaking her head slightly. Her sixth sense was going off like crazy, and it was starting to giver her a headache.

Taking a deep breath, she slowly opened her eyes and faced the cloaked man.

"Please, tell me what this truth you speak of is. If it pertains to the Triforce, then it is my right as ruler of Hyrule to know," She commanded, rallying her authority and resolve. Hopefully, he'd just tell her.

"Please Goddesses, let my judgement be right, and if I am astray, please, forgive me..." Zelda drew in a sharp breath when she heard this quiet prayer from her 'consultant.' She felt anxious now, but curiosity to know of what he was going to say kept her from fidgeting. Out of her peripheral vision, she noticed her fiance had managed to get to his feet, and was glaring daggers at the stranger.

"...I feel unsure about disclosing this information in front of an audiance of any other that your self, Highness...The Legend of the Triforce is only meant to be passed down amongst the Royal Family, therefore I guess that no harm should come of soon to be King-" there was a venom induced in the last word but his tone returned to normal afterwards,"-also knowing.

"The Triforce no longer lies in the Sacred Realm," He stated so nonchalantly that Zelda pulled back in surprise. She opened her mouth to cut in, but he steamrolled right over her. "Please, do not interrupt...If I am to stop now, I am not sure if I can continue." His voice held a great weight to it, his words instilled confusion and disbelief into the Princess, but she could not help but believe every word he spoke. "It has not been in the Sacred Realm for...fourteen years now...I guess. I have yet to truly figure out the mysteries wrapped around time. Either way, the Sacred Realm now lies empty except for the spirit of the Sage of Light who was trapped within its confines long ago."

"Why would the Triforce no longer rest in those ground built as its temple and resting place?" Zelda said quietly, feeling her heart twist against her will at the pain in the others voice. Marth was all but forgotten now.

"The goddesses deemed the Sacred Realm an unsafe resting grounds for their relic once it had been stolen and destruction had taken Hyrule. They decided they must find a new place to leave their gift..." He trailed off now, a certain sort of anger riding his last sentence.

Zelda's mind reeled back at this information. The Sacred Realm was now empty!? But then where was the Triforce? She needed to be able to protect it! How did this stranger know of such things? How could he know? When had the Triforce ever been stolen? How could she trust what he was saying?

"You dare come here with these lies?" Marth demanded. He stopped when the cloaked man's head whipped around, still shrouded and ominous as he stood and swiftly strode to stand nose to nose with Zelda's fiance.

"You dare accuse me of lying of such things?" He hissed.

Marth swallowed nervously, but pressed on. "I have no reason to believe a single word out of your mouth. You are nothing to Hyrule-"

Marth was cut off by a hand grabbing his neck and slamming him up against the courtyard wall. He began to flail his limbs but was thrown agains the wall a second time now, and the stranger brought his face close to Marth's.

Zelda felt a sense of dread creeping over her at the now seemingly violent man...she should be helping....but...something held her back. She felt as if she couldn't strike out against this man...

"You are right," He said quietly, but in a calm even, unfaltering tone. "I was nothing. Am nothing still. But you...you are truly worthless." The man released Marth and stepped away at the navy haired Prince gulped down air. "You don't understand. You would never understand! You've lived your entire life getting everything you want with a simple snap of your fingers!" There was a bitter hatred evident as the man's voice grew louder and louder. "You have never seen the hardships I have! Or her for that matter!" He raised a hand out from the cover of his black shroud, pointing at Zelda, causing her to jump in surprise. Of what did this man speak!? She could not recall hardships in her life as a princess...as a princess...

"You have never been through a fraction of the agony she or I have suffered! Can you imagine it? Living seven long years in your own kingdom, forced into hiding!? Seeing your people slaughtered and tortured before your very eyes!? Your lands burned and pillaged!? Watching everything that you had once known crumble and fall before you while you could do absolutely nothing to stop it!?" He was screeching now at an ungodly level, voice booming like thunder. Zelda felt a strange sensation travelling through her at his words. He was speaking about her...about things she'd supposedly been through...desperately, she raked her mind, only to come up short...she was missing something. She knew it. There was something missing from her mind. Her memories? What?

"Can you imagine being a small child, suddenly told it is your destiny is to go out and save a land you've scarcely even seen before!? Being thrown out of your home and forced to fend for yourself!? Imagine being no older than ten and being forced to kill! Forced to take up weapons and journey and kill!!! Losing the pure and treasured innocence of being a child for a destiny you are not nearly ready for!!! Do you think you would have managed to still go on!? To still be able to see the good things in life and in people afterwards!? Then imagine, after going through it all, being thrust into a body that isn't yours and told to go out and kill some more!!! To find out everything you'd ever been told as a child was a lie!? Can you imagine waking up after a seven year sleep and feeling that its been no more than a few minutes and seeing everything you'd ever known destroyed!? To have your childhood snatched away from you without a second thought!?!? To lose everything!?!?!? And then, after risking life and limb, to have the Goddesses that condemned you to go through hell and back use like a treasure chest and lock away all that horror, sadness, pain, and agony inside you, to have all that suffering laid to rest within you while everyone else forgot you even existed!!! Can you understand that!?!?!? NO!!!!"

Marth crouched against the wall, trembling as he stared up at the cloaked man, barely daring to breath. An overbearing sense of anger, pain, and suffering now lay stagnant in the air around him. Zelda was staring with wide eyes at the man before her. His mood were like wildfire, changing oh so easily. But this pain he was radiating twisted her heart and made a tear come to her eye. For some reason, she couldn't help but believe this was somehow her fault...

After a few moments, the now heavily breathing stranger straightened up and began taking deep breaths, attempting to calm himself. His voice was quieter now. Calmer. But that same agonizing gut wrenching pain filled his voice.

"I have lost everything. I have had my childhood torn to shreds and my sanity tested to its limits to bring Hyrule peace. I have had my body taken from me and used as a vessel to now carry what some call the ultimate gift. As far as I am concerned, it is nothing more than a curse. I have been erased from the minds of all those that once knew me in the Goddess' will. By their will, I have been left utterly alone. And yet here I am, still pressing on. Still living despite it all. If I am nothing, then you are simply a worthless pile of filth that deserves absolutely nothing more than a pit of snakes to rot in."

Zelda swallowed, feeling her heart clench. This was not the type of pain one could fake. This was real. If how she was reading his words was correct...

"You....you hold the Triforce? The complete Triforce?" She whispered.

"Yes..." His voice was cracked now with grief and he turned to her, the anger around him dissipating like mist under the sun.

"You seem...familiar..." She breathed, reaching into her memories, into her mind, fishing around for a slightest hint of who he was. And she found that the only thing coming to mind was once again that blonde boy...the broken little boy... "Please...I should wish to see your face..."

The figure was stone still as she approached cautiously, but she knew he would not hurt her. Yell at her. And ever so slowly, she reached up with her right hand and grasped the hood of the cloak. Zelda hesitated for a moment, biting her lip. Then, in one smooth motion, she flicked the hood back to reveal a tear stained face with bright blue eyes, lightly tanned complexion, and hair that shone golden and hung messily around his face, the rest tied up in the back. He throat tightened immediately and she stumble back.

She knew that face...she **knew** that face....

"Link..."

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**A/N: I am fully aware that Link seems a bit moody. This will be explained in later chapters, but I think, if you look at al of this so far, you can see that he can become distraught very easily. I don't blame him XP**

**Reviews or ideas and such are always luff!**


	3. So Many Questions

**First off, I'd like to thank everyone that's reviewed so far and for the support. I'm so glad I've gotten such positive responses so far. In all truth, I didn't expect I'd even get more than a few reviews.**

**So far, things seem to be going well. I'll just try and update regularly whenever I finish a chapter. This one is kinda filler, but, whatev...**

**Disclaimer: As much as I wish otherwise, I do not own Legend of Zelda or any of its characters...*sniffle***

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"No..." He whispered, looking at Zelda earnestly. "You're not supposed to remember..."

Her deep blue eyes were wide and she clutched her head, letting out a slightly pained noise. Zelda screwed her eyes shut, and took a stumbling step back.

Images were slamming through her head, all the strange dreams she had had. They all involved him. Who was he? She should know this! Who exactly was he!? Why did she know his name!?

"Zel-" Link began, instantly cutting himself off and wincing visibly when he realized that he'd just addressed her by name. Zelda's eyes snapped open and she stared at him.

He said...that everyone had forgotten him...that he had been erased...She could understand that the Goddesses would do such a thing to protect their gift. But how had she known him? She knew she had...But this was all so sudden...so insane! But there was a feeling of longing creeping through her. She wanted to know. Zelda had always felt she'd been missing something. That feeling was even stronger now.

"How did I know you?" Zelda breathed, trying to stay steady on her feet with these memories or whatever they were pulsing through her head. "How could these images...memories...whatever they are traverse the Goddesses will to erase you?"

He didn't reply for a moment, an utterly painful look in his eyes, and she saw his hand twitch a little, as if he wanted nothing more than to reach out and comfort her.

'He always did worry more about me than himself... Wait, what?'

"I would have never known," He said quietly, looking down at the ground now. "I would have never guessed I was that important to you...Perhaps though, I was not important to you as much per say your only hope for Hyrule to be saved. Hyrule...serving your land had always been your best interest. I would say that the reason that you even recall me is because I set Hyrule free of the evil you sought to destroy."

She couldn't help but notice that he voice grew motonous as he continued, and that his face went blank.

He was masking his emotions.

He did it well too...but she had seen enough to know that he was plagued with loneliness and painful remembrances.

And why...why did his words hurt?

"Were we friends?" She asked quietly.

He flinched at this before regaining composure. "One could say so, though we had not met many times before...we were friends, at the very least, yes..."

"In which case," Zelda said unsteadily, her knees threatening to give out. "I should wish for you not to worry about my title...it sound so wrong coming from you..." She barely spoke the last part unknowingly. Her legs finally caved and she was emotionally drained, but before she could fall into the darkness of unconsciousness, she heard a distressed call and strong arms catch her.

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When Zelda came to, she opened her eyes slowly to her dimltlit room. She took a few deep breaths as she cleared her mind from the muddled darkness she'd fallen into, a renewed sense of control with her.

After a few moments, her brain caught up on what had happened and she sat up with a start. Link! Where was he!? She needed to speak to him! She needed an explanation for all this!

"Princess!" Someone at her bedside started, surprised by her sudden awakening. She glanced over to see Marth, tiara and all...Ugh, she just wanted to take that stupid thing and beat it with a mallet. Quickly, she brushed these thoughts away too. Zelda only had one priority right now.

"Where is he?" She asked bluntly, turning to let her legs fall over the side of the bed as she looked at Marth.

"Who?" He asked, giving her a weird look only to receive a glare in return.

"You know perfectly well who!" Zelda snapped, not having the patience for Marth's petty games.

Marth sneered and turned away to look out the window. "I had him thrown in the dungeons. Surprisingly enough, he didn't resist. I don't want you talking to that scum, Zelda...Zelda?"

Marthturned around to find himself alone with chamber's door open and fleeting footsteps echoing up the winding stairs.

Zelda hurried down the stone steps to the underground dungeons, all the while muttering curses about her fiance and his despicable little girly tiara. Really though, she couldn't blame him for having Link put in the dungeons. Any other royal within the castle would have done so had they jsut been confronted by the moody stranger. Soon Zelda reached the bottom of the stairs and began down the dungeon corridor, glancing around the empty cells.

She frowned a little and glanced farther down the row, wondering where the guard had gotten off to. There, down the hall a ways was the guard, sitting just outsideof the bars of a cell, talking with a prisoner. Link perhaps?

At this thought, she strode quietly up, hoping to catch some snippet of the conversation.

"-excellent swordswomen. I've sparred before with them, and its amazing their abilities. Not only that, the Gerudo are brilliant archers as well. Oh...hello, your Highness."

Zelda blinked as Link, who sat within the, cell broke off his narration to give a small bow of his head, and the guard jumped, immediately standing up, ramrod stiff, saluting the princess.

"Oh! Umm, I w-was just...eh...er..." the guard spluttered, looking for an explanation to give his master on why he had been conversing with one of their prisoners. He stared dumbly when he was waved away by the princess who was staring intently at Link.

His hood was pulled back and his face was clear of the signs of his tears from before. She studied his face quietly for a few moments, then gave a small smile.

"I would like to speak to you, Link, but not here in this stuffy dungeon. Guard, please, release him if you would," The princess said quietly, still watching the blonde's face. It was as if she were mesmerized, which in a way she was. Staring into those twin sapphire depths of his eyes, Zelda could see suffering. Pain and loss and suffering...but there was traces of laughter there too. But her attempts to see into his soul were in vain, and Link was promptly released from the cell.

"Come," Zelda beckoned, beginning to head back to the stairs, fully expecting him to follow. Repressing her childish eagerness to speak to him, which she was still trying to understand, Zelda led the blonde up the stairs through the main halls, and to her beloved garden. She paused in th archway, relishing the view of the wildflowers and roses that bloomed across the courtyard. Not even waiting for him to come to stand beside her, Zelda swept into the garden she had tended since she was a child and sat on the stairs that were before a small window, peeking into the throne room.

Finally she looked up and over to her blondecompanion, and saw how he hesitated by the arch, glancing over the area in daze of sorts. His eyes were clouded withmemories that she wished she knew, and Zelda swallowed, wondering if she should be here, alone with the stranger, without any guards. But something about him made her want to trust him. Maybe it was her curiosity and odd visions. Perhaps it was just he himself, and that air of honesty that surrounded him.

This was all so confusing, but Zelda wanted an explanation as soon as possible, and the only person capable of doing so was Link.

"Please, sit," Zelda called across the garden, causing him to snap out of his stupor and stride over. He hesitated, giving her a small frown, then sat.

Never one to beat around the bush, Zelda jumped straight in. "May I see it?"

Unsurprisingly, Link understood what she meant, and removed his left gauntlet. Zelda drew in a sharp breath as he eyes locked onto the clear cut Triforce marking engraved into his hand. It was gold tinted, and let off a faint glow that intriguedher. Without really thinking about it, Zelda reached out with her right hand and brushed her fingers against the triangular marking on Link's hand. A weird prickling sensation spread through her hand and she looked up to see sorrowful sapphire depths eyeing the golden emblem.

Zelda still felt confused, and was only more baffled by the glowing triangles that told her what the strange man spoke of was true.

"It was you, wasn't it?" She spoke softly, more as a statement than a question. "You were that boy I saw seven years ago in this very courtyard. The boy who looked so worn and tired, as if you carried the very fate of Hyrule upon your shoulders...I guess, in a way, you do...But why did you appear here?"

He was quiet, glancing away the at ground, answering hesitantly. "It is a long story, your Highness, and-"

"I thought I told you to forgo the formalities," Zelda cut in, narrowing her eyes a little at him, unable to help the small spark of defiance at her title. A title she didn't want.

"Its not right," he breathed, closing his eyes for a moment before meeting her gaze. "You don't even know who I am."

His half-hearted protests only made Zelda frown as she looked at him. She could tell by the sound of his voice that he didn't want to address her by title, but felt he had little choice.

"I feel as if I known you for a long time," Zelda replied. "And I did, didn't I?"

Link let out a slightly exaggerated sigh, as he looked up at the sky, as if he'd realized that he'd get no where by fighting about her name. "Yes, Princess, you did know me. But that was a different life. You were a different person and you'd lived through things that are best to be forgotten."

"Are you sure it is better for them not to be known?" Zelda asked, finding herself quickly relaxing around him. There was a certain teasing in the way he used her title of 'Princess,' like it was a fond pet name _meant_ to annoy her. He seemed to also be relaxing, and Zelda gave thanks to the Goddesses that she could read people as well as she could. It really came in handy.

Link paused and gave Zelda serious look that caused her to tense a little. "Zelda, the things you had to live through were horrendous and it was utter torture for you to have to watch your kingdom fall while you had to sit on the sidelines and wait for me to return to the waking world. During those seven years of my absence, you saw Hyrule ravaged and destroyed, and I'm not makingany sense," He sighed, rubbing his face with his right hand. He peered at her from between his fingers and gave her a weak smile that abruptly caused her heart to skip a beat. There was a sincere happiness there as the princess met the other's gaze. "I guess its just nice to actually speak to you again. I keep forgetting though that you've no idea what I'm talking about."

Zelda let out a light laugh shaking her head a little, then looked at him with deep blue eyes and gave a warm smile in return. "Strangely enough, I find myself justfeeling...comfortable talking to you. In all truth, I only know a few things about you, but I feel like I can just be myself around you. Likes its okay, and I don't need to chalk myself up to be some high and mighty snobbish noble to keep to an image."

"I'd be insulted if you did," Link smirked slightly, amusement lacing his tone. "I guess some things just don't change."

"What?"

"You've told me something akin to that before. A long time ago, lifetimes ago it seems now..." His eyes began to glaze over but he quickly shook it away with a sigh.

"Why're you so...moody?" Zelda asked, almost hesitantly, frowning a little. This was something that seemed odd to her. His moods seemed to change spontaneously, one moment calm, another sorrowful, and then bright and cheery. Nobody was that temperamental unless they were a an overreacting PMSing woman, and she highly doubted that he was.

"It..." Link faltered, frowning a little in thought, looking for the right way to explain it. "I don't mean to be. But over the years, I've been put through so much that any little thing can trigger a mood change. Its the Triforce that makes it so severe...I still don't completely understand everything. It may have to do with the fact that such erratic emotions draw adverse reactions from the Triforce due to imbalances mentally. Makes me wonder if those Goddesses were even thinking when they did this to me." His tone was hollow and bitter at the end at the mention of the Goddesses.

"Do you hate them for this?" Zelda asked softly, feelings of guilt stirring in her. He was so torn on so many levels, and for some subconscious reason, she felt it was her fault.

A silence hung in the hair between them, a pained expressions resting on Link's features. He seemed confused and unsure on how to answer. Zelda bit her lip, silently chastising herself for asking so many painful questions.

The slightly awkward silence was broken when Link suddenly cleared his throat, pulling his left hand away from where Zelda's hand had still been resting on it. He face blossomed read and she quickly withdrew her hands to her lap, wide eyes locked there. _Woops...._

"Anyways..." Link began, his face also tinted red, "you wished for an explanation, yes?"

Zelda looked up, her blush fading and she gave a small nod. She was a little surprised though on how off track she'd gotten. It was unusual for her.

"Yes...you're story...I wish to know what exactly it is that I have forgotten-" Zelda abruptly stopped, face going completely blank as another thought occurred to her.

She had supposedly forgotten him. Had him wiped from her mind. Absolutely everything about him should have been forgotten, not bits and pieces. The Goddesses wouldn't have done that. They would have completely wiped her mind, or their power must not have completed the job. That would indicate that she still remembered him. Subconsciously, she still had all her memories. Those visions and dreams were her memories resurfacing. That's how she'd known his name. That's how she'd recognized him and that's why she felt so safe around him. It was all still there, locked up in her head.

"....Zel?"

Zelda breathed in sharply, broken out of her epiphany from Link's worried tone. That nickname...no one called her that. Only a few people called her by name, and that was her close dear friends. But none of them called her 'Zel.' There was an achingly painful familiarity about it. That concern was all too familiar.

Her thoughts whirled a bit, and Zelda felt like she was somewhere between reality and fantasy. She was trying so hard to reach into the depths of her mind and call back what was forgotten, covered in the cobwebs of her mind. But it was so faint, so lost, like something out of a child's storybook told to her as she fell asleep. Something that you knew you'd heard, but couldn't recall. It was maddening.

"Link..." She breathed.

"Yes?"

"Please...I want to remember."

* * *

**A/N: XD Ha ha, another cliffie! *maul'd***

**Next chappie will center on Link to give a better perspective of him and so everything gets a bit more understandable. Right now, I find hes just confusing...making him be all moody is fun though~**

**Reviews and ideas are always luff! Thanks again to all of you who have already shown support!**


	4. Conflict of Rememberance

**Whee~ Chapter is kinda short, but its only focus is finishing up the scene in the garden. After this, I hope that the chapters will begin to lengthen out. Mostly this chapter is meant to give a bit of a better perspective on Link. **

**I hope people don't mind the short chapters since I'm tying to update every few days XP**

**disclaimer: No, I still don't own Legend of Zelda or any of its characters...for now.**

* * *

There was a slightly awkward pause where Link locked eyes with the Princess and blinked cluelessly, not quite sure he had heard correctly.

Did she seriously just ask to have the most painful experiences of her life wrought forth to her conscious mind? And what even gave her the impression he could do that? Well, sure, Link did carry the Triforce, but he did not control it. It was not his to use. It was his to protect. He could draw energy forth from the Triforce at times, but he never needed it really, and his own magical prowess had been trained hard so that he would not need it for tearing down the mental barriers residing in Zelda's conscious put there by the Goddesses. Or at least he shouldn't. But that's assuming he agrees to let her remember! In Zelda's memories resided the horror of Hyrule's downfall. Link had seen its remains. He'd been shaken to his very core when he first stumbled upon the desolate remains of Castle Town, a once bustling lively market. Could Link really bring himself to make Zelda remember the evils that had brought down the very foundations of her life? Could he really deny her this request though?

All these thoughts blazed through Link's mind in that short silence which was broken when he finally spoke at length. "Excuse me?"

"I want to remember," Zelda repeated, giving him a pleading, lost sort of look that made the child in him want to whine about her cheating. How the hell was he supposed to deny her why she was looking at him like that? Besides- "It is my right after all to be able to freely venture in my memories. I deserve to remember these things, don't I? Memories are part of what makes us who we are, and without these memories, I'll forever be missing a part of who I am." _Woman, you don't know the half of it..._

Damn, she was still as sharp as ever. That was Link's other concern in his internal conflict. They were her memories, blocked against her will, and her freedom to explore them revoked. She should have the liberty of knowing who she once was. How much she had done for Hyrule.

Still, Link was inclined to hesitate. He knew exactly what she'd been through. Every emotion that had flitted through her mind(or so he thought), every step she had taken, ever moment she had suffered. It was all there, stored in his head as well. The Triforce of Wisdom had so courteously decided to cling to what it could of its original bearer, and had shown Link Zelda's memories. Not only that, but the Triforce of Power had down a similar act, and presented Ganondorf'stwisted memories to Link's cluttered mind.

Three lives of three very different yet interconnected people, all stored inside his head. He saw things that no person should witness on his own quests, but bearing the burdens of three tormented souls?

Link's eye twitched slightly and a slight, open mouthed frown presented itself on his face.

This was all too much.

She still looked exactly the same...the same as when she'd sent him back and his life condemned to the shadows of the world began.

How lonely it was to be the only person to remember. To have no one to seek comfort from and no one to openly care for. How broken he was, with a tattered mind teetering on the edges of sanity from it all. Link wanted so badly not to be alone anymore. That was his wish, deep, deep down.

To finally not be alone...

Pain twisted his heart as Link realized he shouldn't do this. It wasn't right, he would only be fulfilling his own wishes of finding another who could understand and relate. Reminding Zelda would be indulging in his own selfish desire that reared its ugly head now. There was so much pain though. So much that he didn't think she could take it all at once, but that was the only way. Those experiences had haunted her, just as they now haunted him.

Zelda's reasoning was sound though. She did have a right to the knowledge of her past. Her first hand knowledge, not a recounting of it simplified and filtered from another. He had to do this, for her.

"Zelda, you're asking me to help you remember horrifying things. Things that absolutely no one should have bare witness to. I can't...I can't do that to you," Link nearly pleaded, biting his lower lip slightly. He didn't want to to this.

"Then I will deal with it. Please, Link, please. I need to remember. I know that you speak the truth. I'm barely even sure why I'm being so open and trusting so quickly. Its so unlike me, and I'm just so confused because I can't help it. I know that I know you, but I just can't remember clearly. Just, allow me this. Allow me those memories back," Zelda breathed, a desperate glint in her eyes.

Link let out a small pained noise as his face morphed into that of distraught deep and utter apology. Link's breath caught as the powerful current of magic he had summoned washed through him, centering in on his hand.

"Goddesses forgive me."

Link's left hand shot up to the side of Zelda's face, two fingers pressed firmly to her temple. There was glow for a moment before a blinding flash surged through the courtyard.

Link's eyes were screwed shut and teeth clenched tight. Right now, he had to connect their minds with a powerful magic to allow his to find the barriers and break them. But as memories began to flood Zelda's mind, they resurfaced in Link's as well.

_"We must find the Triforce-"_

_"-entrance to the Sacred Realm is-"_

_"-Sheik-"_

Her mind didn't seem to be comprehending the powerful surge of memories in chronological order. The more Link desecrated the walls confining the memories, the worse they became.

_-as she watched, under the guise of the Sheikah male, Sheik, as the small Hylian village she had stopped in burnt to the ground in the distance-_

_-and the once beautiful clear sky was shrouded with sick acrid clouds of darkness that was slowly suffocating the land below-_

_-watched, unable to reveal herself hiding in the shadows to save the knight who was struggling vainly against the Stalfos that were dragging him towards the magma pit below the castle of the sick overlord known as-_

_"-Ganondorf will pay-"_

_"-tell me, Impa, is it almost time? Is he finally here?"_

_The images were flashing so quickly now it was_ a blur as the last of the Godesses blocks upon Zelda crumbled away.

Before Link could break off the connection, his magic seemed to lose direction in all the emotional turmoil, instead turning on its caster and stirring up his own subconscious, reawakening memories long forgotten of his childhood. His broken broken childhood...

Link instantly wrenched his hand away as soon as he regained control, shooting up from his seat on the bench and stumbling backwards, eyes wide and haunted, breaths short and quick.

Zelda wasn't supposed to see that.

His mind was screaming at him to run, to go find somewhere to calm down and reign his emotions in. No matter how much he wanted to give in to that urge though, he'd just dumped an utter hell upon Zelda's mind, and he needed to be right here.

He needed to care for her should she need it.

With that in mind, Link grounded himself abruptly, quickly swatting the uprooted long forgotten childhood from his focus and looked hesitantly at the Princess, only now aware of her haywire breathing and wide eyes clouded with too many emotions to name.

* * *

Zelda had no time to react before two fingers were pressed against her temple and her mind completely blanked.

She could feel another presence in her mind. One that was familiar and comforting. One that made her feel safe and content.

Before she could dwell any longer on the peace that had washed over her, it was broken by a sudden flashing of images...memories.

Zelda suddenly felt like she was someone else. It was as if an entire lifetime was playing out right before her, and as it went by, she was painfully aware of every moment of it.

She saw destruction and death. Blood and gore. Agony and loss. She felt it. But something about it was all so surreal.

Before Zelda realized it, the lifetime she'd just seen had been halted, starting with her own. A sudden jolt rushed through her and something else began playing through her head.

Images of a boy...a young child that was all too familiar.

_The small blonde sat nestled between the vast roots of the great oak tree in the mazes of the Lost Woods. There was a cut on his cheek, scabbed over with dirty blood and blossoming fresh bruises marred his arms and legs. The small blonde stared out at the sky, face scrunched in distracted pain as he tried to draw his attention away from his physical aching._

_He was clad in a simple green tunic to match the forest that surrounded him, a long cap resting atop his head. His knees were drawn up to his chest, small arms wrapped around them. Wide sapphire eyes gazed into the distance, glazed with pain and shining with unshed tears._

_He was so lonely..._

_Even with Saria, she wasn't able to be there all the time. He should be stronger than this, able to handle and take care of himself, but he was so much smaller. Mido was already size of a normal Kokiri, aging ending at ten, though lifetime virtually everlasting. This small blonde was merely six..._

_He just didn't understand why. Why was he different? Why was he so disliked? What had he ever done to make Mido hate him so much to attack him; to physically wound the defenseless child? And, why, why why why, didn't he have a fairy!?_

_A new though occurred to the innocent child, not yet tainted by blood stains and battles he would one day face._

_Why didn't he belong?_

Just as soon as it had begun, it had all stopped, the foreign visions of an agonized child swimming through her head despite the traumatic things that had just flashed before her eyes. She just sat there in shock for a moment, unaware of her unsteady breathing and stock still body. After a few moments, Zelda's mind came crashing back to her body and she breathed in sharply, all of a sudden wrapping her arms around herself.

So much hate and fear. So many lost souls looking for help she couldn't give. It was all too much. Zelda felt like she'd just shorted out her brain with an emotional overload.

She'd just seen things that few even dared to have nightmares of.

She'd seen the destruction of her world.

And she cried.

A choked sob wrenched from her mouth, her eyes instantly falling to the ground and Zelda trembled uncontrollably. Tear began flowing freely down her face as she huddled closer in on herself.

Nothing existed for her at that moment. The courtyard garden she'd loved as a child faded out of focus into a blank white nothingness. But it was cold. So cold...

So much death surrounded her. Blood lapped at her feet in waves and dark clouds surrounded her, vile odors of burning flesh filled her nostrils, making her nauseous. Zelda glanced down and yelped at the sight of splatters of gore on her dress. And her blood stained hands. Lying in front of her was the corpse of her dead father, murdered by the King of Evil, Ganondorf. She felt like she was drowning in utter despair for a moment, more of the horrific parts of the newly unearthed memories appearing before her eyes on a barren landscape.

Ever so suddenly though, she felt something warp around her. Something strong and warm and comforting. Something safe. The shadowed creatures that had been creeping up on her suddenly turned tail and fled when the presence appeared, radiating an aura of gentle strength, but at the same time deadly power that surrounded and protected the panicked mind of the princess.

And now this presence had a name.

"Link..." She sobbed, blurred vision of reality returning and she turned in his arms, burying her face in his chest and clinging the fabric of the dark tunic under his cloak tightly like a lifeline as she cried as she'd never cried before. Zelda cried for the deaths. The lost loved ones. The lost souls corrupted and destroyed. Zelda cried for her father who'd she'd witnessed murdered. She cried for herself, who'd been shredded from a alternate time. Most of all, she cried for Link, whose life had been completely and utterly destroyed. "I'm sorry..."

* * *

**A/N: This chapters more emotional stress oriented...after this, things should start to even out to a more regular tempo. I was thinking though that maybe next chapter I'd do an interlude and give an account on what Link did after he ran away when he returned back in time. I could do those every so often, depending on how long the story is, just to take a break and give some insight on characters.**

**Also, finally, after this chapter, more characters will be showing up! Yayz~**

**Thank you to Akito17 for presenting me with an idea that I can not only incorporate here in the story, but your suggestion has given me other ideas to use here too!**

**So, reviews are luff. Thank you everyone for support so far. I'm really happy that this story seems to be going way better than expected.**


	5. Interlude One

**Nyeh, Interlude! *maul'd***

**Its kinda hard to fit Link's past into the main story as its not really something he would want to talk about, I'm gonna be adding little interludes like this that take a look as some point in his past when hes finally living out those seven years. This is practically just after he was sent back.**

**So, the good thing about these are that they give you better insight into Link's past, the bad thing is, they're just as emotionally taxing as the others XD**

**Disclaimer: I still own neither Legend of Zelda or any of its characters.**

* * *

He had to. He had to see them. He needed to see them all, know that they were at least all okay.

Link's heart clenched painfully at the thought.

As far as the world was concerned, he didn't exist. Wiped off the face of Hyrule, the only home he'd ever known. What exactly did this succeed though? Was he left to remember and in turn be forgotten like the nightmarish reality that had sucked him in like a black hole? Link could wholly understand why at least one person had to remember the events that had transpired in that now non existant time, but what did torturing him with it accomplish?

Link sighed, painfully aware that there was no longer a glowing ball of light hovering near his hat nagging and worrying about him. Despite it all, Navi had stayed with Link until the end. Even if he wasn't a Kokiri, she had been his Guardian Fairy. Saria had been his best friend since he was little. He just wanted to see that they were all right...

Link walked slowly through the Sacred Meadow, savoring the sunlight pouring down from the forest canopy as he made his way into the Lost Woods. It was now that he was very thankful for the songs Sheik -- well, Zelda, but still, less confusing for him to think of them as separate -- had taught him. Travel was much easier.

At one point, Link would be gladly charging across the fields of Hyrule, enjoying the wind whipping through his hair and the steady beat of hooves from his mare, Epona. Even when he'd been on his journey to defeat the King of Evil, the Dark Lord Ganondorf, he could still enjoy the things that remained intact and unchangeable in Hyrule. Now though, he felt weary, tired almost. That destructive loneliness that he'd suffered as a young child ate away at his gut, but he couldn't recall memories to connect with the feeling. Link certainly didn't intend to be calling those memories up anyways.

Dappled sunlight soon faded, left with only a speck every so often that made it through the canopy of thickly growing trees. The woods now glowed with a soft deep green light that seemed to emanate from the leaves themselves. Oddly glowing pollen would float by as Link navigated the forest, steadily making his way towards the village. He bit his lip, expression darkening at the thought. He wasn't going to be able to be seen. If the Goddesses had erased him from memory, then it was best for him to lie hidden among the shadows for now. Waiting. Something told him his time protecting Hyrule was far from over.

Link noticed little hidden parts of the forestas he swept along, feet falling soundlessly on moist earth. Cranies he'd hidden in, clearing he'd sat in and savored the peace of the woods surrounding him.

On a whim, Link pulled the Fairy Ocarina from his pouch. He smiled sadly, gripping the soft peach-brown instrument protectively. It was a miracle he'd been allowed to keep so many things.

He still had his slingshot, his bow and arrow, boomerang, megaton hammer, silver gauntlets, and all the other equipment that had accompanied him on his journey. Now all of that was hidden in the magical pouch he'd been given by Saria as a small child. He preferred to have his stuff more close at hand, but right now, as a child, he didn't have the muscle he was used to anymore. He'd build it back up as time went by. Link had already begun training himself rigorously, building stamina, endurance, speed, even considering dabbling in magic. After all, what else could he do, hidden in the dark of times lost? Link would wait until he was called upon again to rise back to the surface of the world, but for now, he needed to be alone. To pull himself together.

Andbefore he could begin that, he needed to be sure they were alright. Link was going to find out how things had changed from what little he'd known before being thrown in that chaos and diasarray that was his past...er, future? No, wait...

Link stopped for a moment, and closed his eyes, taking a deep breath. He'd already realized there was no way to term it correctly.

One hand slipped from its grip on the ocarina to come up to his ears, and he fingered on of the bright blue hoops that hung there. The blonde wasn't quite sure how exactly he'd managed to keep them, but he'd found the blue hoops that were bigger than should be on his now smaller ears. None the less, the moment he'd found them, the boy had his ears re-pierced. It gave him a small comfort. These earrings were something that was familiar to him. Something he'd earned and never planned on letting go. He had so little left, taking things into consideration. He'd never had much to begin with though.

It had been a few months since Link had seen Zelda. The beautiful innocent untainted image of her still lingered in his mind, often making him choke up or feel sick. It reminded him all to well that the one person who'd been through hell like him couldn't so much as recall a wisp of memory.

Link considered himself lucky that his rupees also seemed to have followed him. That meant he could provide for himself easily. It was amazing the savings he'd built up.

Opening bright blue eyes to scan the forest once more, drinking in the lush greens that mixed around him, he eased his eyes shut and brought the ocarina to his lips. The music poured forth from the ocarina like it was the most natural thing in the world, the fast tune of Saria's Song echoing through the forest and fitting in perfectly with the noises made by leaves and animals.

His legs began to carry him forward once more on auto pilot, the boy lost in his wonderings andthe soothing noise of the song he'd heard all his life. Unbeknownst to the blonde, he was being watched.

* * *

Link felt more at ease now, lost in the tune that he'd heard since childhood. It was something else precious and familiar. A tune that was part of the entity of Saria.

Soon, he stopped just outside of the exit of the Lost Woods that led into the village that he'd lived in. No, he'd never truly seen the place as his home. Just a house, a place to live. That's it. Someones home was a place where they were content, happy, comfortable. A place where they could belong. Link let out a bitter chuckle, a mirthless laugh mocking the thought of such a thing as a home. The sound was disturbing to hear from a child, the dark sour expression only made it worse. It was wrong. And with that in mind, Link knew one thing. He didn't belong.

Nimbly scaling a tree nearby, the blonde boy settled on a high up sturdy branch that overlooked the small village that served as home to the everlasting children of the Lost Woods.

The first thing that came to Link's mind was that it was all a lie. Everything he'd ever been told, ever taught. Now they were all lies, stories for little children, things never meant to happen.

Lies and nightmares.

Seemed like a good summary of his life right there.

The green clad boy sighed heavily, letting his eyes close as he pulled his hat off and raked one hand through the mop of blonde hair resting on his head, not yet long enough to be pulled into the small wolftail he was used too. He shouldn't be letting himself dwell on these things. The last thing Link wanted was to become a bitter person, withdrawn and wallowing in self pity. But every once in a while, he needed to vent all this pent up rage andhurt. Sometimes he just needed to strike out at something.

Taking a deep calming breath, his eyes slid open, their bright blue darker somehow. Rather than resembling the burning dodger color they usually were, they were more sobered, resembling sapphires that were being struck by moonlight.

Down below he could see the familiar village. Mido was sitting in front of the passage to the Great Deku Tree's Meadow, staring off into space. The Know-it-All brothers were over by the small training area of the village, wrestling with each other. The Twins were lingering outside of the shop, laughing happily with each other. He could pick out every face, every detail of them even from the distance. A wave of nostalgia hit him, bringing a small frown to his face.

After a few scans over the village, his eyes zeroed in on one house in particular. His house.

But was it still his? Did some strange Kokiri now inhabit his treehouse? Or was it empty, waiting for its owner to come back?

Link felt his hands tighten into fists involentarily, one still clutching the long green cap.

Everything still looked the same. It didn't even matter that he'd never appeared, it was still the same. Kokiri Village was as it was meant to be. Calm, thriving. That'swhen Link's eyes caught on one of the glowing lights flitting through the hamlet. It was a bright blue shimmering light that flew over to Mido, bounced off his forehead, and zoomed into the passageway beyond.

The blonde felt like he'd just been kicked in the gut, eyes transfixed on the spot where the light had disappeared. Navi. He was sure of it. There was no possible way it could have been any other fairy. Did she have a new Kokiri to protect, one that was an actual Kokiri this time?

Vicious curiosity wormed its way through the boy's mind fairly easily, and in no time, he was scaling down the tree and sneaking down among the shadows that lingered at the edges of the rock wall that enclosed the side of the village. He moved swiftly and silently along the shaded green, crouching low to the ground. The Kokiri never noticed the misplaced boy in their midst.

Link drew close to the passage to the Great Deku Tree's Meadow, and groaned mentally when he noticed Mido was still being a pain in the arse, waiting there to rough up anyone wanting past. Namely, him. _Damn, this brat needsa hobby or something._

Luck seemed to be favouring Link because one of Mido's cronies began screeching about something over by his house, making Mido abandon his post.

_About time._

Link seized this window of opportunity and slipped into the passageway. He purposefully made his way through, careful not to disturb the Deku Baba's sleeping nearby, and stilled when he reached the end of the tunnel. Cautiously, he peeked into the meadow, back pressed so firmly against the stone wall of the passage that it was amazing he hadn't sunken into the rock yet.

Link's guess proved true as his well trained ears easily picked up the high pitched voice that had all but screamed to wake him up half the time. Floating before the Great Deku Tree was Navi the fairy.

The blonde withdrew his head and sat huddled in the shadows of the walls, eavesdropping intently, hoping to find some useful information. After all, he was practically lost in this world now, and could use all the information he could get. Even the useless little tidbits Navi would cram his head with.

"Navi, my faithful assistant, hath thou sensed it? There is someone in the Lost Woods." The deep rumbling voice reverberated from the wood of the Deku Tree all through the garden surrounding him. A barely suppressed shudder attacked Link, all to easily remembering the last time he'd heard that great voice as the Deku Tree faded and died. It was an unpleasant memory to say the very least.

"So?" Navi replied, her blue fae lights sparkling brightly. "There is always some poor soul being lost in the mazes of the forest. There are plenty of warnings not to enter these woods. It is their own fault if they fall under the curse of the Stalchildren."

Ugh, morbid tales. The Twins had always been so fascinated by them as Link could recall.

"Nay, Navi. There is something different, something special about this one. The forest grants this one passage to its secrets and opens its labyrinths to this stranger even without my blessing."

"What!?" Navi squeaked, flitting higher in surprise. "You mean people can be granted protection from the forest by the forest itself? But only the Kokiri are meant to have the blessings and gifts of the Lost Woods!"

_That kinda hurt..._

"That is not all Navi. There is a force surrounding this one. A power that lays dormant, waiting. An overwhelming pressure emits fromthis one. A power of beyond our comprehension." There was an ominous hint to the tree's words that befuddled Link. There was no doubt in his mind that they were speaking of him. A presence granted access by the forest itself. But what was this of a power?

"Is it dangerous?" Navi immediately broke in, a note of panic quickly overtaking her already shrill voice.

"Nay, Navi. We need not fear from this one," The Great Deku Tree soothed his assistant sagely. "This one, I can sense the soul of this one. It is a not a boy, yet not a man. It is an essence of lonely brokenness, seeking comfort in a darkened world. The one who possesses the greatest light can never feel its warmth, only the ice it leaves behind."

"Deku Tree?"

"This soul in out midst is not to be feared, my fairy. This soul should be offered shelter and care should he appear to us, but we shall not go seeking him. I must admit, I feel the greatest sorrow from this one and wish there was only some way to soothe its suffering."

"But, Great Deku Tree, what do you mean 'greatest light?'"

Navi's question was left ananswered as the Deku Tree withdrew his mind to pondering the strange essence lingering in his protected lands and the fairy sighed, alighting on a higher branch of the tree, relaxing.

Link was far from relaxing. No. The boy just felt numb all over as the shock of the Great Deku Tree's pronouncements faded. Something about them struck a certain note of dread in Link, and he pushed himself quietly to his feet, swallowing forcibly past the lump in his throat. Something was screaming in the back of his mind. While he was not yet agonized and tortured by memories of nonexistent times, something about the Great Deku Tree's words told him that he would, without a doubt, be attacked by the cold recollections with a vengeance.

Shifting himself into the undergrowth of the passage, Link dozed fitfully until nightfall.

* * *

Darkened blue eyes opened drowsily to the surrounding black of the tunnel. A moment to pause and listen told Link that while night had fallen, the forest was not asleep. Crickets were chirping amongst foliage and an owl hotted woefully from somewhere in the distance. Soft rustling of leaves was tuned out by the blondeas he listened to detect any of the forest children still dwelling about the village at this late hour. He was greeted by silence, and thus deemed it safe to detach himself from the passageway to the guardian tree.

Stars shone brightly agaisnt the ink of night, piercing through the dark and illuminating the lands below with soft light.

Link strode quietly through the village, taking in the sights of the familiar tree homes and vegetation. He'd spent his entire childhood here, and not a trace was left behind. When Link drew closer to his house, he saw that the there was no longer a sign in front of it proclaiming an owner, and the little carvings he'd made at its roots were gone.

The boy choked on a sob at the sight of the untouched house. Not even his little trinkets and belongings remained here. All he was left with now was what he carried with him.

Biting back the tears that threatened to break past his barriers, Link drew a carving knife from his magical pouch and crouched by the roots of the tree. There, he set to work, recreating the image he'd left there in his early childhood. It was surreal, feeling this way. The very night he first carved the picture of a boy with a fairy into the bark of the tree he'd been feeling very much the same as he did now. Insecure, confused, unsure.

As Link whittled away at the bark, recreating the picture with disturbing accuracy, he remembered the words he'd heard that day from the Great Deku Tree. He had been invited to stay here in the segregated haven of lush forest. To remain. But it felt wrong now. No one would even recall him. The painful bitter memory of Zelda asking who he was sliced through his heart like the Master Sword would cleave through a skulltula. Imagine what it'd be like, having his own best friend asking who he was. Quiet tears had steadily begun making their way down his cheeks, eyes burning with intensity a child shouldn't be a ble to weild so freely.

After a while, Link began to calm down, just letting his mind blank as he carved away into the bark, not even realizing what he was leaving. Not even caring what sort of effect it might have for these drawings to be found, if they were.

Finally, he shakily put his hands down and closed his eyes, breathing deeply, tear tracks dried on his face. He wanted to leave now. He could no longer stand to revel in the life of the forest, knowing he couldn't be a part of it. Link had yet to see Saria. He would have to leave by morning though.

Jumping slightly, Link's head whipped around at the soft sound of music echoing through the valley like Kokiri Village.

Music that soothed him and brought a sad smile to his lip burdened with responsibility and greif. He may not get to see Saria, but that song was hers.

As the music calmed his crazed thoughts, Link scaled up the ladder of the treehouse carefully, and perched himself up on its roof, hidden from view. From his vantage point, he could see the peaceful night sky unhindered by the canopy of leaves. Bursts of light twinkled across the velvet blanket of the sky. Link once more pulled his ocarina from his pouch and began to play the melody of Saria'ssong in a perfect accompaniment he'd practiced countless times with his friend. The music resonated deeply from the instrument, and rather than cutting through the peace of the dark of night, it blended into the dark shades of green that surrounded him.

Link wasn't sure for how long the notes of the piece fell from the ocarina he held before he realized that Saria ahd stopped playing, and was now listening to the tunes being woven into the patchwork night of black, white, and green. Link paused for a moment, the silence now coming back tenfold as if the forest was holding it metaphorical breath in anticipation making the quiet eerie and urging Link to continue his playing.

Putting the instrument back to his lips, a somber tune flowed into the air, seeming to slow the flow of time around it. If there were a color for this song, it would be that of the lonely musician's eyes, glowing like the dark sapphire that was once burning bright. The song seemed to carry the weight of solemn sadness with it, but also a certain content calm. All the moonlit images in the darkness seemed just a bit sharper, just a bit more weighted with the almost sad melody melting into the forest.

* * *

Saria felt tired after yesterday.

In the forest, she'd caught sight of a young boy, no older than a Kokiri, wearing the green tunic associated with the forest children and a long cap. There had been something familiar about the child, perhaps his resemblance to her kin, but she doubted it. Saria had never seen him before in her life. While most children carrying a sword and shield may have been hindered by the weight or slightly awkward with the equipment, he'd seemed so at ease, so natural about it. And that struck her as wrong.

Saria had followed the blonde as he wandered the Lost Woods, following the paths that led through the mazes towards her village with a practiced ease that admittedly scared her. No one should know the forest that well. When the boy had pulled out an ocarina and started playing a song, her song, she'd nearly choked on her tongue.

Something was off about the boy. No one should bear that sort of weight she'd noticed lurking in the depths of eyes she could imagine once being bright and full of life. That bitter laugh had chilled her very soul with the mocking for the carefree happiness that was often expressed with a laugh.

There was also an energy that was tailing him. An energy resonating from his very essence that was leaving a perfect path towards him.

So, that evening, Saria had begun to play her ocarina. It often soothed her and just let the green haired girl let go and relax. What she hadn't quite expected, but might have been subconsciously hoping for, was to have another ocarina join hers. The music had melded together in a harmony that she'd never heard before...but at the same time, she had.

Saria had stopped listening for a while, as the other played on, not yet realizing it was alone in the crisp night air. After a small pause that had left Saria longing for more, another song begun to play. A song that pierced her very being and captured her rapt attention as it seemed to emenate from the very fabric of time and the forest itself. It worked its way into her mind and wouldn't let go. So, there she sat the entire night, enraptured by the song that surrounded her village.

Dawn now fell upon the quiet Kokiri Village, though it'd be a while before anyone awoke. They Kokiri were eternal children after all. The yellow, red, pink, and faint blue of the sky now bled all around the forest, bringing an early morning light that made her close her bright jade eyes and breath deep.

Slowly, Saria trudged down the path of the village towards the lone abandoned tree house not far from the exit of the forest to Hyrule Feild, a place forbidden for the Kokiri.

She stopped at the end of the path leading to the house, staring longingly up at the house, as if expecting someone to emerge from the home and greet her. To leap recklessly off the loft and run to her and embrace her in a friendly hug that she would forever cherish. As if drawn by some strange force, Saria's eyes switched to the exit of the village and she felt her heart stop. There, standing silhouetted against the pass was the boy whose spirit seemed to have withered and withdrawn, leaving a shell riddled by sadness. What surprised her even more was he was looking at her.

The blonde was giving her a look that spoke volumes on a level far beyond any she'd ever seen. There was a bright intensity that burned her without meaning to in the twin depths despite the weakened color. Saria suspected that at one point, his eyes had matched those earrings that hung from his ears like they were a part of him. As if it'd be wrong if they weren't there. On his face was a sad smile as he looked at her with a kind of loving friendship she'd never seen from anyone else. A caring deep rooted and unmovable. He looked as if he knew her.

Then he turned his back and he was gone. Like that, he disappeared into the dark tunnel, beyond her reach.

Saria's mouth felt dry and her entire body was trembling, but she didn't realize it. Her head swivelled backaround, and she now noticed something odd. There, at the base of the tree were carvings.

Saria ran over to the roots and fell to her knees beside them, hand running tentatively over the carvings.

One was a child's drawing of a boy and a fairy. Another was of the symbol of the Kokiri and the Deku Tree, alongside it was also markings that she recognized as those of Fire and Water. The carvings varied greatly, and circled the base of the tree, covering a vast amount of bark, but enthralled the girl. Somehow, embodied in this art was all that agony and longing she'd seen trapped behind the blonde boy's eyes. Then she did a double take on one carving, one at the front, hidden by roots. It was notes, for a song, and below it were words, small, but legible.

_'Even if you don't remember, you will forever be my friend.'_

And there, by the roots of the tree, on her knees and face in hands, Saria cried without knowing why.

* * *

**A/N: Don't kill me! I swear that things'll start looking up for poor Link soon! **

**Reviews are luff as always. Thank you everyone for support so far! I'll try and figure out a regular update schedule, cause I have a lot going on right now.**


	6. Starting Over

Sorry about the late update! This would have been up way sooner, but my internet went kaput and I was gone all weekend.

Anyways, this chapter turned out longer than the others, much to my satisfaction. I try not to make my stuff short too short, but I seem to have a tendancy to follow the character throughout their day. I'm not too good with extended periods of time time skips. Meh.

Disclaimer: I still dont own Legend of Zelda nor any of its characters.

* * *

Marth stood stiffly on the small balcony his quarters at the castle provided, looking out of the rolling Fields of Hyrule. The dark-haired prince was oblivious to the beauty of the lands he would soon reign.

Zelda was truly beautiful. In all truth, that's all Marth really cared for about her. He despised her headstrong defiant attitude and her involvement in the politics of the nation. No, when he took over, she would learn her place. For now, he had to keep up his act of caring for her. It was difficult for Marth though. He wanted so badly to ravage that delectable blonde princess. His patience in waiting for her was growing thin. While Marth was an exceptional actor and tactician, he was the emotional equivalent of a randy teenager. Oh well.

This was a problem though. A huge problem.

Zelda was consorting with peasant scum. Putrid filthy rats that begged and pleaded at her doors, and the daft woman let them in. She welcomed the commoners too openly. She cared too much for their worthless expendable lives. And this Link. He was interfering with his plans to take Hyrule as his own country. While usually Zelda would spend time with him in her courtyards or gardens, she was now clinging to her guest. Sure, it'd only been a day or so since he'd shown up, but this filth was causing more trouble than he was worth. At the moment, he knew Zelda to be resting in her chambers, and in all likelihood, her favorite little interloper was probably under the sheets with her.

Marth grit his teeth at the thought. No, that body would belong to him, as well as those feilds and those villages. He could not let Link ruin this for him!

Since Zelda was rather inclined to ignore her fiance's demands, he'd just have to go to someone he would listen too.

After Marth prepared for the Royal Ball that evening.

* * *

_"Oh, Zelda, Zelda, Zelda, naive unsuspecting Zelda," a grating harsh voice cooed before letting out a maniacal chuckle._

_The young girl struggled fruitlessly against her rope bonds, tying her to a pole stuck upright in the ground. At the base, she could make out logs and twigs, but everything else around her was hidden by a deep gloom that frightened her. Ignoring the voice that was taunting and teasing her, she continued to pull against her bonds, ignoring the rope burns that were forming._

_"Really, you stupid little girl, you think I'd let you get away?"_

_The entity was growing closer and closer, and with it a rising sense of oppression and despair reigned over the panicked child._

_Zelda caught sight of a faint orange glow coming into view and held her breath, fear making her mouth dry and stomach flip flop. The girl nearly chocked on her own spit when she saw where the orange light was coming from._

_There, in front of the bound child was King Harkinian bearing a torch and an arrogant aloof attitude. He smirked evilly at his daughter, beady black eyes that distinctly belonged to someone else glinting maliciously._

_Zelda tried to scream in horror, but found herself suddenly gagged as well and her struggles became more crazed as her own father, or this look alike, set the base of the pole on fire. Red and orange tendrils licked at the bottoms of her feet and heat began to wash over her, smoke making deep blue eyes water helplessly. Her pleading, terrified eyes met those beady black, and suddenly they changed to the same green she knew so well. Before blood spurted out of them that is. Tears of blood fell from the man's face, mouth, and nose. A huge gash appeared across his chest and the King fell to his knees, letting out a low gurgle before his now lifeless carcass fell onto the fire._

_Tears streamed relentlessly down the young princess' cheeks as she strained wildly and desperatley agaisnt the ropes holding her, the scent of burning flesh mixing with the choking smoke._

_**"Zelda."**_

_The deep grating voice echoed through her mind, making more tears surface as she felt spikes of pain surging from her feet that were beginning to burn._

_**"Zelda."**_

_Again, it called, mocking her useless plight as the girls skirts caught fire and she went up in flames almost instantly._

**"Zelda!"**

With a jolt, the princess sat up in her bed thrashing, a scream of unadulterated horror ripping from her throat. Not a moment later, she found her mouth covered and a hand shaking her shoulder.

**"Zel, snap out of it!"**

Zelda stilled almost instantly, wild blue eyes glancing furtively at her surroundings, reassuring herself that there was no fire, no hating darkness, no black soulless eyes. No, she saw her own chambers, their soothing colors relaxing her, and a young blonde swordsman looking worriedly down at her. The hand was removed from her mouth to take her other shoulder and gently push her back down in bed.

Zelda didn't protest, instead focusing on calming her ragged breathing.

It was a dream. Nothing more, nothing less. Just fractured images pieced together by her mind. After laying there a while, slowly getting her breathing under control, Zelda's dark blue eyes slid back open. Sitting at her bedside was Link, looking down at her with worry.

Link...how much it must have hurt for him. For the few friends that he had earned and cared for to forget him. Zelda felt a lump forming in her throat, as he train of thought continued rapidly. What could it have been like, to have someone you'd given up everything for have to ask for a name? After that, how could Link still be here, watching over and helping her?

But, that's just who he was. Link, an orphan taken in by the Kokiri. Outcast of the forest children. Savior of Hyrule and Hero of Time. Bearer of the Full Triforce. Zelda felt tears sting at her eyes as the duties that Link had to fulfill weighed heavily on her mind and she bit her lip in aggravation. She had been through a lot too, though she was only now given recollection of such things. Link needed a thank you for that. Zelda had been stronger than this. The nightmares had haunted her before, when she'd been in hiding, and she'd managed to handle their realistic blood spill and carnage before. Well, that is unless they involved Link. She could never bear to see pain brought to that tattered soul that she'd personally seen to shredding. Her stupid plan had ruined everything-

"Zelda, are you alright?" The blonde's voice was soft with worry, and the sound of him soothed Zelda's frayed nerves, but the guilt didn't go away. No matter what, it seemed he'd always be there for her, pushing her right along. Zelda was vaguely aware of how she missed the warmth of his hands when they were retracted from her shoulders to instantly have to repress a shudder at the feel of one of his calloused but gentle hands brushing against her cheek, moving some stray hairs from her face.

"Yes, I'm fine," Zelda assured him, the horror of the nightmare already faded into the background, overpowered by the sense of security that Link's presence brought. His eyes narrowed slightly, calculating gave sweeping over her face, looking for anything to repute her statement, but the panic had already melted away from her features.

"Good," Link sighed, sitting back in his chair. "You were getting restless in your sleep, so I decided it'd be a good idea to wake you up. You seemed so scared." The last sentence was a whisper and Zelda glanced over at him. Link's arms were folded and his hands clenched biceps tightly as his clouded gaze fell to the side of the bed. His unashamed worry for her did nothing to ease the guilt. That was when Zelda noticed, in studying the figure beside her, that there were dark circles under the young man's eyes.

"Link, did you even sleep at all last night!?" Zelda cried out, sitting up again, staring at her companion in exasperated worry. The princess noticed his hesitation and sighed. "Link, you didn't have to stay here all night. What time is it anyways?"

"Just a little before dawn," Link murmured, eyes directed towards the window, but soon his gaze lingered elsewhere, to a spot on Zelda's hair vanity alongside the small balcony. Following Link's intense gaze, Zelda saw the family heirloom her mother had given her as a child.

"You miss that thing, don't you," Zelda said softly, sliding out of bed smoothly, noting the way Link's eyes instantly fixed on her to make sure he'd be ready is she stumbled. Really, she wasn't helpless. The young woman did understand that he was so worried about her. After all, he'd just dumped an entire lifetime of gut wrenching memories on her, few of which were pleasant. Zelda's delicate hands plucked the deep blue object from its resting place on the dresser, wiping some of the dust off on her dress, which she noticed she'd never been changed out of. Perhaps the maids had been too scared of her company to come and do anything. Or, knowing Link, he'd refused to let her out of his sights.

Plodding purposefully back to the swordsman, she held out the object with a regretful smile.

"I'm not quite sure if you'd even want it now, all the trouble this little things caused before, but if you should want it, the Ocarina of Time is yours. It rightfully belongs to you, after all."

Zelda smothered the light laugh that threatened to escape her at Link's awed look, blue eyes wide.

"Zel, are you sure? This is an artifact of the Royal Family, after all."

Zelda rolled her eyes, blowing a couple of strands of hair from her face. "I'm sure, yes, why wouldn't I be?"

"It was a gift from your mother."

Zelda's brows raised in surprise, shocked that he'd known such. "Wha-? How-?"

Link gave her a sad sort of smile that instantly shut up her ramblings.

"You were once the holder a piece of the Triforce, Zelda. When it was ripped from you, it still had a deep connection with your soul, and ended up holding your memories inside it. When I began reliving things I knew to be your life in my nightmares, I began to realize just what had happened to me," Link explained gently, once again looking at the blue instrument. "Are you sure?"

"Yes," Her reply was soft as her mind tried to process this new info. She'd had such a horrible life those seven years. As had earlier been realized, no one should ever have to live through things that the two of them did. But now, he was telling her that not only did Link have his own memories clinging to him, her own had intruded on his conscious as well. Did that mean that he also suffered remnants of Ganondorf?

All thoughts trailed away when she felt the small weight of the item leave her open palms and she watched as Link brushed hands reverently over the ocarina. Slowly, he brought it to his lips and began playing a tune that Zelda never thought she'd hear again. It was deep and enchanting, blanking her muddled mind as her eyes slid closed and she hummed along. A song that reminded her of those seven years, spent and lost in the oblivion of time. She could swear that in the background, she could hear the chanting of that invisible choir as the song melded with the pre dawn.

Opening her eyes, a single tear escaped deep blue as she looked at the man before her, and saw a lonely youth trying to pick up the pieces without actually touching them because he had never been allowed before.

* * *

Zelda and Link had ended up wandering about the castle for most of the morning, just enjoying each others company. Link was especially grateful for the blonde beauty striding alongside him. Zelda had been handling the harshness of her past quite well, and it was like a completely new experiance for him, to have a friend again. He'd been hiding in the background for so long he felt a little out of place.

Noon found them back out in Zelda's courtyard, enjoying the midday sunshine washing down over them, glinting off the polished marble bricks. Scents of food wafted outdoors from the kitchens, and muddles together with the wildflowers. It was so peaceful here. Link could understand now why Zelda had always loved the garden so much. It was soothing.

"Link," Zelda whispered, getting a small grunt of acknowledgement, giving her the okay to continue with whatever question she had. She'd had quite a few so far, but hadn't been quite expecting what she said next, though he should have. "How did you end up with the Full Triforce? You were the wielder of the Triforce of Courage, but how did Wisdom and Power get transferred to you?"

Link's stomach knotted instantly, wishing once more for that peace that had been replaced with a patience expecting silence. He wasn't quite comfortable with the matter yet, as he was so easily upset. He'd never be comfortable with it. Zelda had asked an honest question though, and deserved an honest answer.

"I did not know immediately what exactly I'd been landed with when we returned," He murmured, staring up at the sky. "I barely even thought of the Triforce for a long while until I realized what exactly now resided with me. After some figuring, I'm pretty sure I have good grasp on how this was done.

"That moment in time that the rift into the Dark Realm was closing, the Godesses chose to intervene. An artifact with as much power as a piece of the Triforce could not be left in that forsaken place to allow Ganon a chance to escape using it. So, in that instant, the Goddesses ripped it from his soul. Not even for the Goddesses is such a thing an easy task. I suspect they were also using power from the sages to help them perform such a task. So, theres the Triforce of Power, sitting there in their grasp. But if the Triforce is not whole, it cannot be left anywhere to rest. It just doesn't work that way. I needed a bearer. Din was probably wary of whoever the Piece would pick, so the Goddesses decided it best to choose between their two only options that they knew to be worthy.

"Not only that, but they were aware of your plans to reset time so that Ganon's plight never happened. Din, Nayru, and Faore had been powerless watching their land be destroyed. No one deserved to have to remember such things, but at least one person had to be aware, for the good of Hyrule. To protect it. So, they had to choose to either give all of the Triforce to you, or to me.

"I will never understand their reasoning for choosing me though. Now, I guess I can understand why they may have chosen not to give all of the Triforce to you Zelda. Despite your knowledge and wit, you have an undying wish to protect Hyrule. Having such a want is never good when wielding that kind of power. But I don't understand why they saw me as the better option. Who in their right mind gives this kind of responsibility and power to someone who's sanity and emotional stability could be constantly questioned?"

Zelda interjected here, and Link looked over to her when he felt a warm hand grasp his left, sending jolts out from the Triforce marking on it. Zelda was the true bearer of one of its pieces. It was expected that the Triforce may have so odd reactions to her being so close.

"You're right Link. It would have been quite stupid to give me the Triforce when I'm always seeking for more ways to better Hyrule and keep this land safe. It would be no doubt that eventually, I'd turn to that power I held, no matter how ashamed I am to say it." Zelda didn't give Link a chance to cut in as she continued. "You though Link. you didn't deserve to have such things put upon your mind and such pressure put on you. Tell me Link, is there anything you wish for?"

Link looked down at the ground, clenching his hands subconsciously. What did he want for? The only things he wanted, the only things Link has ever longed for...

"I don't want to be alone."

"And the Triforce can never help you obtain that wish the way you'd like, can it?"

"No."

* * *

Early evening had Zelda preparing herself for the Royal Ball that was being held at the castle later that night. She had yet to see her fiance yet that day, and was rather enjoying her time spent with Link.

It was so strange. Just a few days ago, Zelda was merely a seventeen year old learning about the politics of Hyrule and scheming against her fiance. Now, she was young woman who'd seen the world's end and could lead Hyrule without so much as an adviser. With time, the oddity of it would fade. In those few seconds of memory tampering Link did, she lived a whole 'nother life. And also in those few seconds she saw the early childhood of another. Just some snippets, but it was enough for Zelda.

She'd seen a small child, beaten and tormented. The image was burned into her eyes, haunting her.

Zelda thought it wasn't quite right that her mind was focusing more on the memories that were Link's rather than her own. Then again, she needed to distract herself. Letting herself lose focus and actually see the horror was still too much. She almost felt like two people that were mixing at an extraordinary rate into one. Her past and her present lives merging to turn her into a new person. Maybe it was a good thing. She'd certainly found some flaws in her plan to banish Marth.

Zelda was in her chambers at the moment, getting dressed for the ball. One of her maids had come up earlier and put out a lovely outfit for her. Unlike most Princesses, Zelda preferred her privacy and did not have help in dressing. She was stubborn like than. Not to mention she detested treating the maids like they had to do her bidding. What are they gonna need to do next, chew her food for her? She wouldn't be surprised if Marth had them do that for him.

Making sure her door was locked, Zelda slipped out of her dress from the other day, and set it with her dirty clothes to be cleaned later. She picked up the dress, admiring the velvet feel before setting to work dressing herself. And it was like work, the way they expected a Princess to be oh so beautiful and decked out in the latest styles and most expesive fabrics. She'd play her part in the heiarchy, but only the minimum requirements.

As she swept around her room, collecting what she needed, Zelda's mind drifted one more to the green clad child who'd been conflicted since the beginning.

Only now did she truly understand the extent of the damage done to Link. She'd always felt horrible for forcing that quest upon him, for stealing seven years of his life, then sending him back to relive it. She'd never meant for them all to forget, the Goddesses took care of that. The extent of the emotional trauma Link had been caused though was beyond that of any other person Zelda could imagine. Ostracized as a young child. Bashed and bloodied when he was younger than seven. Always questioning why and wondering how long until he'd have a place.

That simple little child's wish that should have been granted.

To belong.

Link had had no family, but one friend who could be there so often. Children are meant to be given loving and careful guidance, not brash insults and constant doubt.

And that little simple wish, she'd stolen away. Zelda had sealed his fate the moment she'd sent him out on that adventure. That fate to let his hopes and dreams rot in her shadow.

As the memory of Link sitting by that tree, hugging himelf and gazing helplessly up at the sky, his words from earlier rang through her head.

_'I don't want to be alone.'_

Zelda's head snapped around at the sound of knocking, breaking her melancholy mood. Setting down the brush she'd been using absent mindedly, she strode to the door, unlocked, and opened it. A maid was standing there, a light blush upon her face.

"Elena, yes, what is it?" Zelda asked calmly, adressing the young girl by name to help her relax. She was always nervous in her presence.

"I wanted to let you know that your caretaker, Impa, will be retuning shortly with your personal guests, and you friend and fiance are also prepared for the ball."

"Link?" Zelda's eyebrows rose quickly, dark blue eyes wide. "What, did Marth loan him something?" She was more than certain that Link would not be caught dead in anything that Marth owned. He didn't seem too fond of the blue haired prince. Though Link in a tiara...pfft. Now that would be funny. Link in a dress?

As Zelda suppressed her laughter, Elena's face reddened further and she shook her head quickly. "No, ma'am, I don't believe Prince Marth owns anything quite like what your friend is wearing. You look quite lovely in that dress, your Highness."

"Please, Elena, just Zelda. And thank you, it is rather nice. Better than most of the things that I've been forced to wear. so you think you could go fetch my friend, Link, for me? I'd like him to meet my guests with me," Zelda responded gently, adding the last bit on a whim.

"Yes ma- er, Zelda," Elena replied promptly, flashing a sheepish smile before scurrying off down the stairs. Pacing back into the room, Zelda retrieved her jewelry and put it on, carefully avoiding tangling her long yellow tresses in the necklace. Zelda sat on the edge of her bed, taking a deep breath to calm herself as she put on her circlet rown, thin chains hanging from it sliding along her hair. These balls were always so trying. Damn royal heritage and stupid royal customs. Couldn't she just donate the funds expended for these frivolous pompous hags and pigs that came to these things for charity or something? She'd much prefer that.

"Kock knock. Guess who?"

Zelda gave a light laugh before standing and brushing her dress off. Turning to Link, she gasped in surprise, and couldn't help but stare. There before he stood not a wandering warrior dressing a green tunic with sword and sheild or lost protector, draped in dark cloak and clothing. Before her stood a completely new image.

Link's hair was its usual gold bangs framing handsome face with the rest pulled back in what she used to playfully call a 'wolftail.' On his head sat a gold circlet crown of sorts with a green jewel situated on his forehead. He wore a shiny silver tunic with a red over piece that went around his neck and down his front, ending just below the silver fabric. He also seemed to be wearing a black bodysuit under it all. His chest and shoulders were framed with golden armor, another green jewel embedded in is center. Golden gauntlets and gold armoring on his boots. Around his waist was an odd gold circlet sort of thing that matched the crown and had read fabric draped from it around the back. All in all, he looked handsome, but not in his usual way. Usually, he was a carefree sort, who's looks just sorted out themselves, and nothing he did made him look any worse. Now though, Link looked regal and elegant. Zelda never thought he'd wear something like this.

"I know, I know, its different," Link said, noticing Zelda's wide eyed look and scratching the back of his head sheepishly. "It was a gift from a traveller in this settlement out somewhere in the Haunted Wastelands. I helped him out quite a bit, so he gave me this tunic."

"I'd never have thought you'd even own something that wasn't torn and coated in dirt-"

"Hey!"

"-but you pulled it off. Oh, we match," Zelda laughed, regaining her sense to stop staring at him. They did match. While Link was adorned in red and gold that would put to shame half the Dukes even attending, she was garbed in similar colors.

Zelda wore a dark velvety red silk dress that hugged her upper body and spread out below her hips, making it flow elegantly around her heels. Around her waist a thin gold chain belt was fastened, with tendrils that fell down along the dresses folds with dark onyx set into the metal to follow the silk's movement. Hanging from her ears were onyx crescent moons set in finely crafted gold sets. Upon her head sat a circlet crown, emerald lining the onyx centerpiece and the gold moulded to look like leaves as it circled her head. Hanging from it were more thing gold chains adorned with the black gem that contrasted severely with her hair. Red fingerless gloves came up to her elbows and she wore a gold pinky ring on her left hand. While it was one of her simplest outfits, she was till stunningly beautiful. The dark gems only brought out her deep cerulean eyes even more and made her soft smile shine.

"That we do," Link replied, his own sapphire depths greatly brough out by the red fabric. Zelda couldn't help but feel he'd look better with bright dodger blue eyes that she knew he used to have. What happened to that lovely shade that matched the earrings that hung from his ears? She missed gazing into that color as it shone with laughter.

Was it too late to fix that?

"Well now, c'mon then! We're gonna go greet some guests of mine."

"Oh? I thought you hated these things."

"I do, but these guests are...special."

* * *

A/N: Finally next chapter we get to see people appearing! Well, other people that is. In all truth, this story all branched from the simple idea of Link having the full Triforce. My direction with this plot is developing as we go along really...*coughcough*

Oh, hey, look, its the Magical Armor...only its not magical and doesn't cause bankruptcy.

I'd also like to thank everyone so much for the reviews! They really help me keep this thing going. I'm a bit surprised that I've gotten a few people commenting that I can make the stories very real. But, that's not a bad thing! That actually make me very happy, as that's the sort of thing I'm aiming for.

So, I'll try and update this by Monday next week. Reviews are luff as always, and thanks again folks!


	7. The Forest Child

**So sorry about the delay! And this chapter ended up shorter too, which disappoints me, but my inspiration for this one is kinda low at the moment.**

**Warning: Umm....I don't think I have any for this one. Its kinda a filler, but still important.**

**Discalimer: I do not own Legend of Zelda or any of its characters.**

* * *

Out in front of the castle, a coach had just pulled up. Sitting on the front steering the horses was a woman in bodysuit armor with silver hair pulled back in a ponytail and odd tattoos under her eyes. Her eyes were piercing red and her posture straight and authoritative. Her face was blank and stern as she maneuvered the caravan-like coach up to the front of the castle. The guards hurriedly opened gates upon seeing her, allowing her entrance. And when she finally halted the transport, before her stood what could pass as a royal couple.

Link's eyes were fixated upon the woman. Impa. The Sage of Shadows. It was quite fitting, considering she was not only one of the remaining Sheikah, a race that dwelled in the shadows, but she was probably the most skilled.

Link's heart twisted as he looked at her. The last time he'd seen this woman was when she appeared at Ganon's Tower with the other sages to lock the pig-faced demon in the Dark Realm.

There were just so many conflicting feelings and thoughts bombarding him. Should he hope that she remembers some like Zelda so he can find a friends in someone he lost long ago, or should he hope that she was spared those dark memories? Link hated that he should even consider wanting others to remember. But what could he do if they did and wanted to have all of it back?

For the longest time, he'd come to see himself as nothing more than the Godesses tool. Their messenger sent to take care of their lands and to follow their will. He didn't have a clue what they wanted anymore though. So it was time to just follow his own judgement, no matter how confusing. It was so hard to think sometimes. It was just too much for one person to handle. He'd never been given the liberty to take a fall, or to rest. He had always been expected to be the one who was strong, the one to carry on despite everything. So he just played his part. Nobody ever seemed to see him for what he was, a scarred person amongst many who was just chosen. Why had he been the one chosen to fulfill such destinies? To carry the burdens and weights of the world? Link doubted he'd ever find the answers to his endless mantra of questions.

Sapphire eyes blinked owlishly when the carriage stopped and the doors swung open. From the confines of the transport, out came a Zora, a Kokiri, and a Gerudo. More specifically, Ruto, Saria, and Nabooru. Link's heart stopped for a moment as the world fell out of focus. While he still saw them as close dear friends, they didn't even know him. The world quickly came back into focus as he pushed aside these self-pitying thoughts. He smiled sadly at the sight of his old friends, glad that they were all still well. He had gone to see all of them long ago when he first came back to be sure they were all alright.

Zelda had run over to happily embrace her friends. That's when something occurred to Link in that jumbled mess of a mind. How ironic it was that they should all still be connected. He could understand how Zelda could know all of them though. The Hylian ruler needs ties with the other species of Hyrule. Saria is the obvious spokesperson for the children of Kokiri Forest, being wiser than the others and the Deku Tree trusts her. Ruto because shes the Zoran Princess. Nabooru because she was now the leader of the Gerudo.

Link watched the small reunion with conceled sadness. He knew what was coming next.

"Oh, Zellie, its so wonderful to see you!" He could hear Ruto squeal as Zelda embraced the Zora in a friendly hug. Link couldn't help but feel bad. Zelda probably felt like it had been lifetimes since she last saw her friends after what he unlocked from her head.

Unfortunately for Link, he'd kinda zoned out and only came back to the present when he found himself with Ruto's face inches from he own. He let out a rather undignified yelp and fell backwards.

Urgh, deja vu...

Ruto only giggled and turned back to Zelda.

"Say, you're engaged missy. What are you doing dragging around a handsome man other than your own?" Ruto inquired, smirking. Oh crap, Link knew that smirk. It was that smirk Rutowould get whenever she wanted to flirt. Link so did not need this. If there was one thing he had never missed at all, it was Ruto's ridiculous fixation with him.

Zelda face was dusted a pretty red color, but huffed at Ruto's implications, even if she was only teasing. "Ruto, you know I'm more honorable than that. That's my friend, Link."

The moment the words left her mouth, there seemed to be a strange pause of the four new arrivals taking in the name. Processing it. The blonde saw an odd look flit across each persons face, before it was dismissed, except Saria, who was staring at him intently, strange recognition in her jade eyes.

"So," Ruto drawled, turning back to the man she was now planning to assault, "you're single I presume? Or you trying to worm your way between Zellie and her man?"

Link's face reddened a bit at this and took another step away, trying to keep Ruto out of her personal bubble. He'd quite forgotten how awkward it was to have a fish-lady, as he'd childishly dubbed her, hit on him. Quickly, sapphire eyes darted to Zelda, pleading help.

"Ruto, please try and restrain yourself," Zelda said with a roll of her eyes coming over to pry Ruto away from her friend. Something about the way the Zora was acting had struck a chord in Zelda. She wasn't sure what, or why, but it was strange to say the least.

"Link..."

The blonde turned to look at Saria who was staring at him with confusion and pained recognition. But it was somehow different.

"You look...familiar," She whispered, stepping closer and tilting her head to look at him. "Like someone I should know. Someone I should..." The girl trailed off, shaking her head sadly. Zelda and Ruto were bickering with Naboorulaughing her head off and Impa watching passively. No one was noticing the two. Link crouched down so he was eye level with Saria, and he gave her a small sad smile. Something seemed to click at that moment and she tentatively reached forward to take his hand.

"You were that boy," Saria breathed, jade eyes wide. "That boy that was wandering the Lost Woods seven years ago. What...what did you mean?" She said quietly, voice strained with emotion as her eyes began to tear up, causing Link's insides to wrench in guilt. Seeing his best friend like this wast kicking up a maelstrom of emotions he was trying to reign in. But it wasn't working so well, especially with Saria's next words. "When you looked at me before you left, you looked at me as if you knew me. There was so much hurt and pain in your eyes, and its still there. What did you mean when you carved those words? 'Even if you don't remember, you will forever by my friend.'"

Link bit his lip, trying to keep from telling Saria. She knew. She knew she was missing something so very important to her and it was hurting her so much. Would it hurt her more to remember though? He knew that his emotions were seeping into the air, and that the others would soon note his distress, but he couldn't care right now. Tears had broken the floodgates and were dripping down Saria's cheeks. Something inside him cried out, kicked and screamed and longed to to protect and comfort her, If only she remembered him correctly. It would be so strange for her if he just embraced her and began to try and help when she had no clue who he really was to her. It would only upset her emotions more.

Apparently he didn't need to embrace her, because Saria stepped forwards, hugging him with all her might, hiding her face in his neck. After a moment of shock, his instincts kicked in and he returned the hug, tightening hisarms reassuringly around his close friend.

"Why can't I remember?" She asked through her sobs, tightening tiny arms around him and he closed his eyes. "Why do I feel like I've known you forever, but I just can't remember?"

Link tried to control his breathing, knowing that it would not help at all for Saria to see him break down. Hell, he wasn't even sure if he was capable of crying anymore. It felt like his eyes had dried up long ago. The first time he'd cried in a quite a few years was a few days ago when he lost it at Zelda's fiance, and Link hadn't really realized he'd been crying. Had it really only been a few days? It felt like forever, but then again, reliving memories can do that to you.

Link finally looked up when he felt a hand on his arm, and saw Zelda crouched beside them, looking sadly at Saria and giving her a small one armed hug from behind while using the other to catch Link's attention.

"She deserves to remember Link," Zelda pleaded quietly, too quiet for Ruto to detect, but Impa and Nabooru'strained ears picked up her words. "After everything, she deserves to know. While you never forgot, we were forced to. I know what its like now. Knowing I'm missing a piece of myself. Maybe the memories hurt, but I'm much happier having them then being left in the dark." Her soft tone calmed Link's emotions slightly, and Saria withdrew her head from Link, still not relinquishing her grip, to look at Zelda with red eyes.

There was distraught confusion there, but then she turned back to Link, and sniffled slightly, as if silently agreeing with Zelda.

He just couldn't win, could he?

"Wait, what the heck is going on?" Ruto demanded, ruining the moment, and earning a wry look from both Zelda and Link.

"Go on into the castle," Zelda told the three remaining Sages, and they all exchanged wary looks, glancing between Saria and Link, but Impa disappeared almost immediately, sensing Zelda's mind was made up. After a pause, some part of Zelda's patience snapped.

"Go."

Nabooru and Ruto frowned, but obeyed, leaving the trio there in front of the castle.

"What did you mean, Zelda," Saria asked, voice cracking slightly, tears still slipping quietly from her eyes. The instability of a child's emotions did not fit her.

"Exactly what I said," Zelda whispered, closing her eyes. Saria looked back to Link in confusion and he let out a small whimper realising what he was going to have to do to put Saria at ease. He wasn't sure how many more banks of memories he could survive.

Without another moments hesitation, his left hand was brought up to her temple and he invaded her mind. His energy was still short from releasing Zelda's own memories and all the emotional stress that was accumulating, but the blocks in Saria's mind were so much easier to break, and she wasn't resisting him at all.

The Goddesses' restraints of the Kokiri's mind were evaporated in moments and memories began back playing rapidly. But not only in Saria's mind, Link's as well.

So many happy memories. So many dark ones that she shouldn't have.

The moment he'd finished, he dropped his hand away in exhaustion, and fear that once more his magic may backfire on him. Zelda still had yet to confront him on that small memory of his that she saw, yet he could forsee her mentioning it sometime once things wound down. Link drew in a shaky breath, trying to bring the world into focus, but he was so exhausted. Saria's memories her still rebounding through his mind, causing uproar with the rest of his own.

After a few moments, he closed his eyes and drew in a shaky breath, before opening them back up to see Saria unconscious and shivering slightly in Zelda's arms.

"Well, at least that over with," She teased lightly, giving Link a slightly worried look. He shook his head, forcing a small smile to tell her he was okay without words, and he stood, trying not to shake on his own legs.

"C'mon, we should head in before the others start worrying. Should I-?" He cut off his question, glancing down to the green haired girl in Zelda's arms then back up again, unsure whether or not he should try and carry the girl. No matter how light, his arms felt like jelly. Using magic on other people's minds was tiring.

"No, I can get her. Come on, lets get in there and see if we can't protect you from Nabooru and Ruto, huh?"

That broke the sort of melancholy mood that was hanging over them as Link's face fought between blanching or blushing.

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**A/N: Once again, sorry about the lateness of this thing D:**

**Reviews are luff, as always. Thank you to everyone for your continued support,a nd I'm always accepting ideas to use for this story.**


	8. Author's Note

Hey, sorry about letting the story here die, but my computer's hard drive completely died and I've just now gotten access to another computer temporarily. So, I'm working on extracting files from my old hard drive and getting a new compy, but I don't have any of my files now, which is quite depressing. My question is, do people want me to continue this story or leave it alone and maybe someday come back when I get muse for it again? If there are a few of you out there that wanna see this thing finished, let me know and I'll try my best to get something scrapped together. If not, I'mma move on to other stories that I can hopefully finish.


	9. The Royal Ball

**You folks are so insistent D: But hey, that can be considered a very good thing. It makes me not wanna leave this story to rot.**

**Due to the mass response to the hiatus of this fic, I managed to piece together a new chapter, hopefully enough to tide you folks over as well as the knowledge that I'm trying. I just can't get a good grasp on where to go with this fic. So please, bear with me on this. No, this fic is not dead, yes it will be continued, I just need the right inspirationa dn the time. School is bitchsmacking me left and right with essays and projects, so it's a little difficult to find the time to write even when I do get an idea.**

**So, I brought together a new chapter that will hopefully begin the elements of Zelink in this story and transition towards some more dramatic events. Enjoy folks.**

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The main hall of Hyrule Castles was decked in great tapestries and decorative banners. Filling the corridors were dukes and duchesses making their way to the grand party. In the main hall there were tables set up with an amazingly extensive buffet and all kinds of drinks. Up near the front of the room was a small orchestra privy to the Royal Hyrulian Balls as such. Beautifully unique music filled the background while the partygoers conversed.

Dukes dressed in extravagant outfits and robes boasted their wealth and glory to anyone who would listen. Decorative swords and armor hung on their person in attempts to outdo each other. Duchesses were decked out in jewelry to impress, batting their eyelashes at handsome men and gossiping like there was no tomorrow.

Couples danced across the floor of the main hall, stepping in time to the music while others enjoyed the delicacies of the food spread.

There was one man attracting the most stares though.

Zelda had easily recognized how her close friend looked more like royalty than any other snob in the room. Suited in the red tunic with ornate golden armor, Link looked every inch a prince. On his back was slung the Gilded Sword, a piece of equipment he collected when visiting a land called Termina. It wasn't hard to figure out why people were staring.

If these people knew that according to caste, he wasn't even a peasant and held nothing but the equipment he kept with him, they'd die of righteous snobbish embarrassment and rage.

Zelda found herself making rounds of the party, making small talk with the important figures attending and formally greeting the 'lesser' royals. The princess did find it amusing how Link followed quietly behind her, ever observing the festivities while keeping an eye on Zelda. After all, what was he to do? Link had never been one for large social gatherings or anything social at all. He seemed to feel out of place, which was quite understandable to Zelda, taking his past experiences into account. So, as a default, he took to guarding Zelda pretty much.

"Oh, my my, and who is this fine young lad you've got with you, your Highness? I didn't hear about any dropping outs with Prince Marth," Sir Verscot, a high official from Minish and close friend of the Hyrulian Crown, commented with a wink.

Link's form went rigid beside Zelda and sapphire eyes widened. Zelda giggled lightly at his reaction, only making him blush slightly and send her a small glare.

"Of course not, Sir Verscot. You know I'm more honorable than that. That is exactly why I couldn't leave my poor friend Link here to the mercy of those hyenas," Zelda quipped with an amused smile.

"Hyenas?" Link said slowly, apparently not quite getting the meaning.

"Link, you have to be the most oblivious person I know. If this weren't a royal ball and these weren't royal snobs, you'd have been mobbed by now. Half the women are looking at you like they wanna eat you alive." Zelda couldn't help but laugh at how her friend's eyes practically turned into saucers at this. The color in his face was an even more vibrant red than that of the tunic he wore.

"Wh-what?"

"Then again, you wouldn't know that would you? You just go through towns in that damned cloak of yours, hiding from everyone. Speaking of which, I need to continue my rounds and if I discover you bailed on the party, I'll have you thrown from the highest tower. Now, quit following me like a guard dog. Clear?" Zelda continued, completely ignoring Link's stuttering response and Verscot's snorts of laughter.

Completely stumped, Link could only blink dumbly as Zelda sauntered off to continue her royal charade and left him with this 'Sir Verscot.' Quite suddenly, she had made the poor blonde quite aware that the eyes he'd felt burning into his tunic weren't judging disapproving stares like he was so used. After all, not many were glad to see a travelling decked in a dark cloak gliding through town. Suspicious, but no one would really approach. Now, he paused and began to acknowledge that these stares felt quite different, and from a quick look around, had a quite a different meaning to them.

Oh dear Nayru.

A tremble ran down his spine as he glanced around and saw how women, young or old, were surveying him closely.

Link was quite aware that he'd always had this weird habit of having more female friends then male. He could recall how in Termina, young girls had practically melted into puddles whenever he would make eye contact and give a warm smile. He could very clearly recall how when he'd been chucked out of the Sacred Realm from a seven year sleep he'd had women staring at him right and left wherever he went. At the time, he'd payed no attention what so ever, though the incident at the Gerudo Fortress had quite shaken him up.

Now, he could identify those looks he'd received and the looks now were the same. Link could see the eye batting and flirty looks and lustful gazes and oh great Din was he terrified.

Link could deal with bloodshed, he could deal with monsters, he could deal with freakin' time travel, but what he could not deal with was people. Especially not people who were infatuated. With him. As Zelda had quite clearly put it.

Glancing around quickly, Link could see there were a few inching closer. Something cold gripped his heart for a moment and he knew who was staring at him from a corner, probably salivating and plotting marriage. Ruto.

"Oh Faore, please help me," Link whispered, sapphires glinting bright dodger in the light. His left hand seemed to be twitching spasmodically, itching to draw the blade on his back to fend off his enemies, only unable to because these weren't the kind you drove off with sword and shield and anything, oh anything, he was used to.

"Yanno, most young men would be ecstatic to be in your situation just about now? As a matter of fact, a few of this crowd look like they're fit to burst from jealousy," the knight commented, rather intrigued and amused by Link's ungainly reaction to it all.

"Yes, well, most of those folks are actually royals and know other methods to deal with them than running and hiding," the blonde retorted. His Hylian ears were drooping in his desperation, eyes flitting frantically about the room like a trapped animal. And now that these looks were brought to his attention, there was a fear nagging at him. Without Zelda nearby, there was nothing holding them back from approaching him.

"You're not some noble?" Verscot asked in surprise, completely caught off guard. The composed air that Link had held himself in had certainly given that impression.

"Not at all," Link replied, tearing his eyes away from Ruto's corner of plotting to give Verscot his full attention. "I'm an orphan who grew up alone in the woodland, traversing Hyrule. In the eyes of the caste system, filthier than filth and lower than low. Some savage among true gentlemen. Can't you tell?" Link smiled faintly at the last part, having succeeded for the most part in calming himself down. None had approached yet. Good. The courtesy of royals included not interrupting conversation, so he was fairly safe until Verscot decided to throw him to the gawkers or Ruto chose to strike. The latter was inevitable, Link knew that much. Maybe though she'd wait too long, or for once follow society in all its points, or Zelda would return to keep the humanoid fish at bay.

Verscot's eyebrows skyrocketed at that, completely dumbfounded. "Excuse me?"

Link merely smiled amiably at the man. "Not too shabby for a commoner, huh?"

"Not at all," Verscot chuckled in exasperation, utterly taken aback. "I'd never have guessed. Though, I must ask, how in the world did you get in and where did you get those clothes from? Not many commoners would have that kind of thing at their disposal."

Link smiled slightly, pleased this man wasn't going to throw him to the crowds just because he wasn't of some high mighty bloodline. Then again, if Link had gotten the impression that Verscot would, Link wouldn't have brought it up in the first place. Right now, this man was his saving grace, so he wasn't getting off that easy unless Zelda came back to retrieve him. Which he highly doubted.

"I've met and helped many a generous person in my travels, one of which happened to be a retired royal tailor that I helped out in the Haunted Wasteland. Insisted on repaying me with this tunic. As for how I got in, I'd have to say Zelda made the choice whether to come or not for me. Unfortunately," Link sighed, grimacing a little when Verscot chuckled at his misfortune. Then, tilting his head a little, the foreigner continued the conversation.

"You address her Majesty very freely, if I may say so, and she would seem more than comfortable referring to you in a familiar fashion. You two have known each other a long time?"

"Yes," Link admitted with a small smile. "I suppose I should feel honored or lucky or something else over the fact she would let me address her so, but trying to call Zelda anything else feels wrong to me. Besides, last time I did, she looked like she was ready to string me up and toss me in the moat. Zelda does not appreciate being treated like a title, nor referred to as such."

Verscot was quiet for a moment, studying Link closely, before speaking quietly, almost to himself. "You've a good perception of our Princess, haven't you?"

"I've known her for a long time," Link added gently, wondering where exactly Verscot was going with this.

"Still, one would think it better for her to find a man who knew her as well as you to marry. What exactly are your feelings on our Prince Marth?" Verscot continued conversationally, but dropped his voice on the last bit to help avoid being overheard.

Quirking an eyebrow, Link folded his arms and gave Verscot a searching look. "Personally, I find the man an insufferable twat. Something about him is wrong, I just can't place it. But, I know Zelda. She wouldn't do something like this unless this is what she wanted or has something else in mind."

"Yes, but you're avoiding my other question. How do you feel about this? About her Highness getting married?"

Link couldn't help when his lips tugged downward at that. How _did_ he feel over the matter? When the news had first reached him, when he'd first heard that the woman he had devoted so much too was being married off, he'd felt an unreasonable surge of…what? The coiling dragon of rage that had twisted ad squeezed his intestines once more to make itself known. Truthfully, with all the sudden events, he'd forgotten about the whole 'Zelda's taken' thing. Now he just needed to know if this prickling unease and numb mouth was the work of anger, protectiveness, or what.

"It is not my place to hold such opinion on matters as important as those. It is my duty to follow and support my country, not question its leader and her actions," Link avoided carefully, deciding now would be a good time to get a drink from the drink table.

"You're not a mindless soldier, or else the Princess wouldn't have a thing to do with you," Verscot admonished, fixing the young warrior with an admonishing look as Link quickly took a drink as to avoid answering. Unfortunately this led to a slightly awkward silence of the older knight giving the young blonde a level look while the Hylian stared into his drink as if it held the answers to the universe.

"I don't know what I feel," Link answered quietly after a moment, sighing heavily.

"Well, I know what I do," Sir Verscot plowed on, earning a curious look from Link that was morphed to utter shock by his next words. "I feel that Prince Marth will run Hyrule into the ground with his self serving ways. Actually, when I saw her Highness heading walking over here with you, I thought that maybe she'd come to her senses and found a real man fit for duty. I can tell by the way you walk, how you hold yourself, you're a warrior, born and bred. You're exactly what this kingdom needs to lead it alongside it's fair princess."

Link could find nothing to say. Him and Zelda…together? As in a couple? Verscots's words took a few moments to sink in, but Links till couldn't articulate a response. The idea was laughable, really. He and Zelda? She was just a close friend. That's all.

A traitorous voice in his head perked up. Are you sure? Would you do everything you have for just anyone? You're life was tarnished and broken. And it was all because you followed her. Would your dedication reach that far for just any old princess? Or just this one?

What was he implying, that he was in love with Zelda? Sure, he'd devoted his whole life to ensuring her dream of protecting Hyrule. He'd taken on the burdens she asked him to without a second thought. He felt the undying need to protect her and hold her.

"Oh, greetings, Princess Ruto."

That single name snapped Link from his fitful treacherous thoughts only to blanch in horror. Oh shit. There, right beside him, standing far too close for comfort was Princess Ruto of the Zora's. Admittedly, she didn't look all that bad, if you were a Zora or into that kind of thing. Unfortunately for this Princess, he wasn't. He already had a Princess, thank you very much.

Wait…his princess? When did he start labeling Zelda like that?

"Hell, good sir," Ruto spoke flippantly, her navy blue eyes focused solely on Link, and he swallowed nervously, quickly darting his eyes back to his glass and taking a sip. Probably not the best idea since he was having a hard time forcing it down past the lump in his throat. He did not like that smirk on her pale blue face. He did not like that predatory glimpse in her eyes. He did not like the fact he couldn't legitimately use the excuse he had no clue how to dance. Dammit.

"And hello, Link, was it?" Ruto all but purred, smoothly slipping latching herself onto Link's right arm and moving to stand closer than the blonde found proper.

Flicking blue eyes at Verscot desperately, Link managed to force an answer. "Yeah."

"Well then, I'd like to dance, Mr. Link," Ruto replied perkily, finding no issue in snatching the glass away from the blonde swordsman and dragging him out onto the dance floor. Sir Verscot only watched amusedly for a bit, that calculating look lingering in his eyes, before moving to join a card game some duke from the north had started up.

Eyes dug into his skin as he reluctantly moved his into dance position with the Zora before him, wishing that there was a way to make her get off. Still, unable to brush off someone who had been a friend years ago or just plain out freak lest Zelda bear her wrath down upon him, Link went along, steps precise and elegant.

"My my," Ruto drawled when Link drew her back to him after an gentle spin. "I like a man that knows his stuff."

The blonde smiled weakly, fighting off the reaction to seize up and run. Especially when Ruto drew even closer and he could feel her cool breath ghosting his neck as she titled her head up to look at him. The blonde man felt his nerves fraying s the desperate part of him that was deathly afraid of this female scream for him to run as if his life depended on it cause it did.

Still, he made no move to withdraw, simply shuddering a little as goosebumps raised on his skin. He did nearly run when the Zora Princess shifted her hand hold from his shoulder to feel up his chest and biceps.

Sapphire tinted dodger widened in shock at her bold gesture and felt a wave of panic start tugging at his heels. Still, Link did not flee.

After all, fleeing would cause Ruto to have a hissy fit, a disaster that could ruin the entire even in a single angry swoop, and who would be blamed? Link, obviously.

Link desperately wanted a way out of this situation. Ignoring the feel of Ruto's hands through the fabric of his tunic as she slid them along his muscle structure, Link's gaze swept the crowds, desperate to find the deep azure of Zelda's eyes.

Link would later claim it was with relief that his heart skipped when he found who he was looking for, weaving gracefully towards he and the Zora Princess. Curious was the emotions present in her eyes though. Something akin to severe irritation and flaring possessiveness.

His eyes silently pleaded for help when the blonde princess finally arrived beside them. Her attention was solely on Ruto though, he eyes glinting with anger when she saw how Ruto was running her hands smoothly downwards.

In a swift easy motion, Zelda slid Link out of Ruto's grasp and picked up into the dance for the current music, leaving behind a stunned Zora.

"Oh, thank Goddesses," Link choked out in a horrified whisper. "I think I may have just been rapd."

"His little joke seemed to pull Zelda away from her subtle glaring at the dumbfounded Zoran Princess to blink up at Link, who looked rather sick. His skin had paled and a small sweat formed on his brow. Still, his eyes were wide, now sapphire mixed with that alluring dodger that once gaced them.

"I do believe that clothes would have to be removed for such an act to occur," the blonde Princess quipped, giving the man who now held her in waltz position a wan smile. Apparently she was still a little miffed about Ruto making such blatant moves on Link. One might think he'd be too proud to accept the fact Zelda saved him from a tight spot just now, but that was a lie. He had no clue how to deal with any of this. Apparently, it showed, or at least to Zelda it did.

"Now that I've completed my quota of small talk for the evening, perhaps it would be a worthwhile endevour to try and keep you out of trouble with these bints," Zelda said with a smirk. Despite the teasing, her melodic voice soothed Link, and the close proximity intoxicated him with the slight scent of wildflowers that accompanied Zelda.

"Yes please," the swordsman conceded, uncaring how relieved or desperate he may have sounded. Because he really was. No woman would dare try and take the her Highness's dance partner, though something did occur to Link.

"Priness," he began earning a mock irritated look from the addressed," aren't you supposed to be dancing with your fiancé?"

Maybe he was just oblivious, maybe he just couldn't leave well enough alone, maybe he was just plain stupid when it came to everyday emotions anymore, but that question asked with the most sincere innocent curiosity stopped Zelda in her tracks. Warm blue depths froze over in moments flat and she directed a stony look up at her befuddled friend.

"Oh, I didn't realize you were offended by my presence. Maybe I should have left you to Ruto, you didn't seem to be trying to escape. You are right, I should be with Prince Marth. Excuse my boldness," Zelda all but hissed, spinning on her heels and stalked off. Or she would have had a hand caught her wrist in a gentle but firm hold, tugging lightly to turn her back around.

"I didn't mean it like that," Link spoke softly, just loud enough for her to hear over the sway of the orchestra. Confusion was evident on his face, completely taken aback by her sudden change of character. "I was just wondering if it was expected of you be elsewhere. I don't want you troubling yourself over me and getting into a mess because of it. I'm sorry if I offended you Zelda."

Ice slowly melted and she gave a soft sigh, still meeting his eyes. What was wrong with her? Why did that comment over Marth affect her so? And why had she felt so furious and bitter over the way Ruto had been feeling up Link? Its not like Zelda had any claim over him or something.

"I-I'm sorry," she finally conceded softly, quick to once more fall into the dance with him, only this time Zelda had moved closer, but the intimate contact didn't faze her. In fact it was comforting, quick to quell the irrational emotions brewing below the surface. "I over reacted. But in all truth, I'd rather just be here with you Link. I don't even like the man, he's a pig, but I'm sure you already noticed that."

Holding the princess close, Link easily continued the dance. Rather than feeling nervous or threatened by Zelda's closeness, it caused a soft bubbling of affection. Still, he had to ask, even if it did aggravate her, though Link guessed he should tread carefully. It seemed to be a touchy subject. Then again, he should have known. Zelda never did like her expectations, and hated to be reminded of them by the people she considered close. So, what did that make him?

"Yes, I did notice, but that begs to question, why would you engage to such a man? I don't mean to question your judgment, but I know for a fact he is not the kind of man you are fond of in the least."

"I'm not going to marry him," Zelda whispered adamantly, unsure as to why it bothered her so much for Link to believe she was marrying off to some man. Subconsciously, she drew a little closer, neither aware nor just not caring for the breach of decent etiquette. One did not encroach upon the Princess as such. "I'm just going to wait until he makes a move and get him thrown in jail. He's a horrible man who'd turn into a tyrant. Besides, I needed someone to get the Council to stop hounding me, if just for a little while."

Link's shoulders stiffened a little when she mentioned 'making a move.' The thought of Zelda and that scum made his innards writhe in distaste.

"But if you chose him, then wouldn't the Council deem you unfit to choose your consort if your first choice was a sexual harasser?" Link queried, frowning a little.

"Ah, but it was them that insisted Marth and I would make a good match, therefore it would be of their own fault, and should shut them up for a while if I play my 'traumatized' cards right. "

"Hmm," Link merely hummed in response, not really wishing to continue the conversation.

While the two of them continued to dance together, they remained blissfully unaware of the seething Prince glaring death at the swordsman he considered to be encroaching upon his property. Discreetly, the navy haired man made his way towards the Grand Council chairman currently getting a refreshment. He would put an end to his son-to-be-wife's silly game.

* * *

**So, hey, reviews are luff as always, thank you so very much to those of you who really love this story and are still willing to follow despite my hectic ability to update and write at the moment, and ideas are epic. I will love you forever if you help me out with this, so feel free to send me a message with an idea or sommeat. Thankuu~!**


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